Not Long to Wait
by hulettwyo
Summary: Spike leaves Sunnydale after the events of Seeing Red and doesn't return. All BTVS and Angel characters, locations and dialog are the property of Joss Whedon and his minions. I own nothing, just having some fun.
1. Chapter 1 White Boy

Not Long to Wait

Ch 1 – White Boy

She spun around the pole slowly then leaned back against it and slid down, rubbing her hands down over her breasts and stomach to her knees. She licked her lips and leered at the man perched near the edge of the stage then slowly opened her legs and thrust her hips out as he waved a fistful of bills. She dropped to her knees and crawled over to him then turned and pushed her ass toward his face. He reached out and slowly slid his hand down her back as he tucked a few bills into the elastic of the tiny thong that circled her hips. His hand continued its journey over her ass and down her leg as the song drew to a close.

She turned around to give him a smile. "Thanks, Mike. See you next week?"

He licked his dry lips and nodded slowly. "You know I'll be here, Sunny."

She crawled around the stage picking up loose bills and blowing kisses to the other men gathered around, then got to her feet and backed up to the curtain as she rubbed the bills over her breasts. When the curtain touched her back, she gave one last wave and ducked behind it. A robe was draped over her shoulders and she shoved her arms through the sleeves then stuffed the bills into the pockets. "Thanks, Betty. I'm gonna get dressed and head out. See you next week."

"Don't forget to leave Butch's cut in the safe before you go."

She laughed, "Have I ever forgotten?"

Betty smiled and waved at her as she walked toward the dressing room.

She dressed quickly and counted out the money. *_Not bad. Almost $1100 tonight. After Butch's cut that leaves me with just over $800. Pretty good for only thirty minutes of work.*_

She stuffed her money into the pocket of her jeans then slipped quickly into Butch's office. Taking an envelope off the stack on his desk, she scrawled her name across it then stuffed the bills inside and sealed it. She dropped it in the slot in the safe in the corner then flicked off the lights on her way out.

She stepped out the back door into the alley and pulled her smokes from her pocket. Lighting up, she leaned against the rough brick wall and closed her eyes. *_Little chilly tonight. Need to dig out a warmer coat if the weather keeps up like this.*_ She walked to the mouth of the alley and looked across the street. *_Wow, Club Stud is awfully busy tonight.*_ She heard a lot of male voices chanting '_White Boy'_ over and over. *_Wonder who's on stage to draw such a huge crowd?*_

She walked across the street to the bouncer manning the door and smiled. "Hey, Tony. Who's up there tonight? This place is packed to the rafters."

Tony smiled at her and drew her into a hug. "How's it going, Sunny? John's on stage tonight."

"John? Why's everybody calling him '_White Boy' _then?"

"Yeah, as in John Doe. He won't give us his real name, not like we really need it, and they call him '_White Boy'_ because he's extremely pale. Seemed to fit."

"Oh. Mind if I check it out?"

"Sure, Sunny, go on in."

She walked into the club to the groans and complaints of the people waiting in line and pushed her way through the throng of guys crowded around the stage. She headed for the back corner of the club, near the bar, and finally turned to see him. He was pale. Creamy alabaster skin on a thin frame… thin, but with well defined muscles. Broad shoulders that tapered to a thin waist encased in rock hard abs. Long, muscular legs topped with a well formed ass. A mop of light brown hair bounced around his head and fell over his eyes almost to his lips as he moved around the stage, strutting and posing. He was wearing a leather harness over his chest and stomach that was attached to the barely there leather thong straining against him.

To a chorus of whoops and catcalls he dropped to his knees in the middle of the stage and ran his hands down his chest and stomach to the clasps holding the thong to the harness. Slowly he unhooked the thong and grasped it in his fist then pushed the hair out of one eye and looked around at the crowd as if asking a question. The noise became deafening as they shouted '_Take it off!'_

He smirked and raised his head just a little, flicking his one uncovered eye around the club. Suddenly he seemed to be staring right at her, even though she knew he couldn't see that far back into the club because of the stage lights. *_His eye's blue.*_ He turned his head and seemed to scan the club again as the crowd chanted louder. His eye seemed to settle on her again and she saw something else as she drew in a quick breath. *_His eye just flashed amber. For just a second, but I'm sure his eye was amber.*_

He pulled the thong loose with a flourish and tossed it behind him then fell backwards. Supported on shoulders and knees, he started thrusting his hips to the heavy bass beat of the song. *_Wow, he's big… like really big._ _And he's not cut.* _His hard length bobbed in time with his thrusts and he reached up and grasped it in his fist, pumping himself slowly as the crowd went crazy. Bills flew through the air and fluttered down, landing on him and the stage. The song ended with a loud clatter of drums and he jumped to his feet in a smooth motion, his hand still slowly pumping. He backed up to the curtain as more bills flew onto the stage then stepped behind it with a final smirk as the stage lights blinked out.

A scruffy man with a push broom made a quick sweep of the stage and pushed the pile of money through the curtain as the crowd hollered for White Boy to come back out. When it was clear that he wasn't coming back to the stage, the crowd thinned out and most of them started heading for the bar. Sunny made her way back to the door then pushed through the crowd and burst outside into the cool night air. Tony touched her arm. "So, what'd you think?"

"Wow. You said his name is John Doe? He never gave you any other name? How long has he been working here?"

"No, he never gave us any other name and he's been working here a few years. He comes in every three or four weeks. He calls a few days before he comes in so the manager can put up a notice and the place is packed like this every time he does a show. Why? You know him?"

"Maybe. Thanks, Tony. See you later."

"Later, Sunny."

She walked down the street, quickly checking behind her to see if Tony was looking in her direction before she ducked into the alley beside the club. She walked slowly in the dark, trying not to trip over the piles of trash and who knows what scattered over the dirty pavement. *_Geez, it stinks back here.*_ The barest hint of light was shining from the corner of the building and she bee lined for it. She rounded the corner and spied the battered door in the back of the building then quickly made her way past it and ducked down beside a foul smelling dumpster to wait.

Just under twenty minutes later the door opened and a slight figure stepped out into the weak light from the naked bulb mounted on the wall above it. He was dressed in ratty jeans and a long sleeved white shirt with clunky black boots. His hair was a mess of brown wavy curls that fell almost to his shoulders and obscured most of his face. He glanced quickly around the alley then walked toward the street with his shoulders hunched and his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans.

She stepped out from behind the dumpster and followed him quietly until he was almost to the street then stopped and said, "Nice show."

He startled but didn't stop walking as he mumbled over his shoulder, "Thanks."

She started walking toward him and his pace quickened. "Hey, hold on a minute."

He stopped but didn't turn around. His shoulders slumped and he seemed to draw into himself like he was trying to make himself seem smaller… unimportant. "Look, Miss… I'm glad you enjoyed the show, but I don't do anythin' '_extra.'_ If you want somethin' like that, you could check out some of the other dancers. The bartender'll know which ones to ask."

"That's not what I want." He nodded curtly and started walking again, quickly putting distance between them. She watched him for a second then jogged to catch up to him, laying her hand lightly on his arm. "Hey, could you just stop for a sec?"

He flinched violently at her touch then backed up to the wall of the nearest building and just stood there, staring at the ground. His voice trembled as he said quietly, "I don't have much money, but you can have it if you'll just leave me alone."

She stepped back to give him some space, "I don't want your money, Spike."


	2. Chapter 2 Black Rose

Not Long to Wait

Ch 2 – Black Rose

"How d'you know that name? Who are you?" His head whipped up and he pushed the hair off his face, his eyes wide as he gaped at the woman standing in front of him. She was tall… almost as tall as him… and thin, with long, thick, jet-black hair that fell to just below her waist. She was wearing heavy makeup, her eyes outlined in black and her lips stained a deep, dried-blood maroon. Her flimsy, green silk tank top left most of her stomach bare under a fitted jean jacket. Between the hem of the tank top and the waistband of a pair of low rise jeans that she must have been poured into was a tattoo of a black rose. The leafy, thorny stem trailed across her abdomen, curling around her belly button, and ended in an open bloom of petals just above her hip bone. He looked her up and down again then sniffed loudly, his eyes widening even more as he stood up straight and whispered, "Niblet?"

She smiled and stepped closer to him. "Yeah."

"What're you doin' here?"

She reached out and pulled him into a fierce hug, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight. He stood stiffly for a moment then gently wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. She placed a gentle kiss to his ear and whispered, "I missed you." He clutched her tighter and she could feel his tears as he started sobbing quietly against her. She held him and murmured quietly under her breath, not really saying anything as she tried to soothe him with the sound of her voice. After a while he took a few deep breaths then stepped back and wiped his face with his sleeve. She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. "What happened to you, Spike? Why'd you leave?"

He frowned and laughed bitterly, "Your sis didn't tell you? What I did to her?"

"She told me."

He backed up against the wall and dropped his gaze to the ground with a resigned sigh, "Knew this day would come eventually." He took a deep breath and said quietly, "Get on with it then."

She tilted her head in confusion, "Get on with what?"

He looked up at her through the hair that had fallen over his face again. "The stakin'. You're here to avenge her honor, yeah? End the evil demon that tried to rape your sister?"

She shook her head, "I'm not here to dust you, Spike. Buffy told me all the horrible things she did to you that drove you to act like that. How she'd beat the living shit out of you just to make herself '_feel_.' How she used your love for her to make you do things. How she treated you like a fuck toy then threw you away when she was done."

Spike ran his hands through his hair and sighed angrily, "She told you all that? Bloody hell… why? You were just a kid, Bit. You shouldn't have had to hear those things."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest and screwed her face into a scowl. "I knew most of it already, Spike. I knew you two were having sex and she was just using you as her own vampire dildo. She was still hung up on trying to have a normal life and a vampire boyfriend didn't fit her mold, but normal guys couldn't handle the Slayer crap. So she kept you as her dirty little secret because you could handle her strength and then she could pretend for everyone else that she was Miss Normal Girl. I **didn't** know about the beatings, though. I did remember how you were always covered in bruises, but I thought you'd gotten them fighting demons. When she told me where they'd really come from, I punched her right square in the nose and told her if she ever laid a hand on you again I'd beat the shit out of her."

He goggled at her, "You punched… then threatened… the **Slayer…** over **me**?"

She grinned, "Damn right I did."

He tilted his head, "Why?"

She lifted her chin and looked at him defiantly, "Because I love you, Spike. I always have."

His mouth dropped open and he just stood there, gaping at her. She stepped close and placed her fingers on his chin, gently closing his mouth as she laid her other hand on his chest and leaned in, brushing his lips with hers. He whipped his head back and stared at her in astonishment for a moment then slowly brought his hands up to tangle in her hair. He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply, probing her mouth with his tongue until she had to pull back to catch her breath. "Wow, you can kiss! Must be the whole not needing to breathe thing."

He smiled and pulled her back to him, kissing gently along her jaw and down her neck. He licked across her pulse point and she gasped then slid her hands under his shirt and scraped her nails lightly across his chest. He moaned and leaned his head back against the wall, lost in pleasure as she kissed his neck and nibbled gently on his throat. She trailed her hands over his hard stomach and slid one down to rub over the hard bulge in his jeans. He growled and his hips bucked toward her, then he froze and jerked his hands away like they'd touched holy water. He stepped away from her with wide, guilty eyes, panting slightly as he shook his head. She reached out tentatively and gently touched his arm, "What's wrong, Spike?"

He flinched away then backed down the sidewalk, looking at the ground as he mumbled, "Can't, Bit. I'm evil. Dirty. Can't do this with you… not after what I did. Don't deserve it… don't deserve you… Filthy, disgustin' **things** like me **can't** love and don't deserve to **be** loved… I know that now." He raised his head just enough for her to see the tears forming in his eyes then turned and started walking quickly up the street.

She watched him walk away then snarled and viciously punched the building. *_Fucking Buffy! Stupid bitch screwed him up good and proper.* _She leaned her head against the cool brick and breathed slowly for a few minutes then raised her head and pulled her unmarked hand out of the hole. Shaking the dust off, she turned and set off after him.


	3. Chapter 3 Jack Daniels

Not Long to Wait

Ch 3 – Jack Daniels

He walked fast with his shoulders hunched and his hands jammed into his pockets. He didn't look at the people he passed; he just stared at the ground and moved out of their way, flinching if anyone got too close. A large group of people exited a bar half a block up the street and he stopped suddenly as they started walking noisily down the sidewalk toward him. She could see him shaking, even from a distance, then he backed up quickly and ducked into the nearest alley. He leaned against the wall breathing heavily until they passed, not noticing him at all, then he peeked out and started walking quickly again, keeping close to the buildings.

She continued to follow him, staying far enough back that he shouldn't be able to sense her. *_Why's he so skittish? He acts like he's scared to be outside, scared of people. What the hell's happened to him?*_

He slipped into a small convenience store and bought a carton of smokes without once meeting the clerk's eyes or touching him in any way. Once out of the store, he ducked into the alley beside it and bounded down the staircase next to the building. He stopped in front of a beat up door and quickly dug in his pocket, glancing around furtively as he pulled out a ring of keys and unlocked the door. He quickly slipped inside and she could hear several locks being turned as she moved closer. A tiny sliver of light suddenly peeked through a crack of the blanket or whatever was covering the window in the door.

She left the alley and went into the store, smiling and twirling a strand of hair on her finger as she walked up to the clerk. "Hey, I just saw a guy leave here a minute ago and he kind of looks like someone my sister used to date. Do you know who he is?"

The clerk nodded and swallowed heavily as he looked her over. "Uh…. yeah, his name's John. He lives in the apartment under the store. He's kinda weird, though. Only goes out at night and I've never seen him with anyone."

"Has he lived here long?"

The clerk just stared at her and didn't look like he wanted to say anything else. She leaned toward him a little, thrusting out her breasts, and the clerk cleared his throat, "Uh… about three or four years, I guess. He keeps to himself. Doesn't really talk to anyone."

"Maybe I should stop down and visit. Think he'd mind?"

The clerk shrugged, "I don't know. As far as I know, nobody's been down there since he moved in except him. He'll probably be awake for a while longer, though. He sleeps during the day."

"How do you know that?" She took a deep breath, pulling the fabric of her shirt taut across her breasts.

The clerk blinked, "Um, I'm pretty much the only clerk that sees him and I hear him moving around down there sometimes. I don't think the day clerks have ever laid eyes on him and they say they never hear anything from downstairs during the day."

"Oh. Well, thanks for the info. Maybe I will stop in for a minute." She reached out and slowly brushed a finger down his chest then turned and bounced out of the store.

_*Four years. He's been here four years.* _She stepped into the alley and checked the window in the door. The sliver of light was still there. *_Need to go get something before I see him again.*_ She stepped to the curb and hailed a cab then dropped into the back seat and gave the driver her address. She leaned her head back against the seat and smiled as she gazed out the window. *_I've finally found him and I'm not gonna let him get away. Not this time.*_

XX

XXXX

XX

Spike moved around his tiny apartment gathering things; an ashtray, a glass, and a large bottle of Jack Daniels, then he dug a wad of cash out of his boot and dropped it on the counter in the kitchen. *_That should hold me for a few weeks.* _He dropped down into the chair in front of his blank TV and poured out a good measure then took a sip, closing his eyes as the liquor burned down his throat.

He opened the carton of smokes and pulled out a pack then stared at the door as he pulled off the cellophane. *_Niblet. No, she's not Niblet anymore. She's grown. A woman. A beautiful woman. What was she doin' there?* _The pack slipped from his suddenly numb fingers as a look of mortified shock settled onto his face. *_Bloody hell, she saw me! What the hell was Bit doin' in a gay strip club?*_

He drank down the rest of the glass in one gulp then quickly poured another, filling it almost to the brim. Holding the glass in his hand, he leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes. *_She said she loved me. Me. Filthy, soulless, evil thing.* _He laughed, but there was absolutely no humor in it. *_Either she's gone right 'round the bend or I finally have.* _He brought the glass to his lips and gulped it down. Not bothering with the glass anymore, he grabbed the bottle and downed half of it before he set it back on the table then picked up the pack of smokes and lit one with shaking hands.

He stared at the door through the swirls of smoke drifting up from the cigarette that dangled between his fingers. *_Buffy. God, why can't I rid myself of that bint?* _He shook his head and pounded his fist into his thigh. *_No, I __**should**_ _remember. Remember what I did. I left so I wouldn't hurt her again. I know it shouldn't bother me… no soul and all, but how could I do that to someone I supposedly love? She never loved me, I know that. Did I love her? Do I?* _He yelped and dropped the cigarette that had burned down to his fingers, forgotten. He crushed it under his boot and sat back in the chair, closing his eyes again. *_Bloody hell, I should just stake myself and get it over with.*_

He picked up the bottle and drank the rest of it then dropped it to the floor beside the chair without opening his eyes. *_Dawn.* _He pictured the girl he knew. A skinny little bird with long brown hair and big green eyes that sat crying in the caves because she thought she was to blame for Glory torturing him. He winced as he remembered the look of terror on her face as he was stabbed and then thrown off that soddin' tower. He remembered holding her as they both cried for Buffy. Flashes of memory played across his mind of how, before everything went arse over tit, she would blush then look away whenever he caught her looking at him. Suddenly he saw her as she stood on the sidewalk, her eyes blazing with feeling as she told him that she loved him. *_She said she always has. Always has loved me.*_

He drifted off to sleep with a small smile on his face.


	4. Chapter 4 The Chip

Not Long to Wait

Ch 4 – The Chip

She stood in front of his door, listening intently. The sliver of light still showed through the window so maybe he was still awake. She knocked quietly. Nothing. She knocked a little louder then smiled as she heard something clatter to the floor followed by a muttered curse.

"Who's there? What do you want?" There was a hint of fear in his voice.

"It's me, Spike. I want to talk to you."

She could hear him moving toward the door. "Dawn? What're you doin' here?"

"You keep asking me that. Let me in and I'll tell you."

Something thumped against the door on his side and she heard him sigh, "No. Just go, Dawn. Forget you ever saw me. You shouldn't be around me. I'm not worth it."

"Bullshit. Open the door, Spike."

"Why? Why d'you want to see me? I'm nothin', Dawn. I'm a filthy, evil, soulless thing. You can't love me. I'm not worth loving."

"Oh. That. Is. It. Open this damn door, William!"

"I can't."

"Then I will." A beam of green light shot out of the doorknob on his side and the lock started turning then the three deadbolts above the doorknob unlocked slowly and Dawn pushed the door open.

He backed across the room, eyes wide as he stammered, "H..how?"

She stepped through the door and pushed it closed behind her. "I'm the Key, remember? Found out my powers work on other things besides portals to hell dimensions. Of course, I could've just kicked the door in, but I thought you might like to keep using it."

He stood pressed against the wall, staring at her with an expression of awe on his face. She was wearing his duster. "Where'd you get that?'

"You left it. It was hanging on the stairs. Xander found Buffy in the bathroom and freaked out when she told him what happened. He got Willow and Giles and they went to find you, but you'd already left. I found your coat when I got home. Everybody was in the living room and Xander was yelling that they should track you down and dust you. Willow wanted to use your coat for a locator spell but I wouldn't let them. I took it up to my room and locked myself in. Not even Willow's magic could get through the door. I kept them out until I thought you'd gotten far enough away that a locator spell wouldn't work."

"Why? Why would you try to protect me after what I did?"

"Because I love you, Spike. I didn't know the whole story then, but I knew it wasn't totally your fault. Knew Buffy had something to do with it. She told me later that you guys sometimes played games like that. She'd say no and put up a fight and you'd keep going until she gave in. She figured you didn't get that she was seriously saying no until she kicked you across the bathroom."

He looked down at the toes of his boots and nodded, "Yeah, she liked to act like she was doin' me against her will most of the time. Liked to pretend I forced her into it."

"Well, for future reference, they're called '_safe words_,' Spike. Check into it."

He looked up at her with wide eyes, "How do you know 'bout safe words?"

She shrugged, "Not a little girl anymore." She took off the duster and held it out to him. "Here, this is yours."

He stepped forward slowly and took the coat then slipped into it in a practiced, fluid motion. He rubbed his hands over the leather and inhaled deeply. "Thanks for this."

"No problem." She walked over to his threadbare sofa and dropped down, reaching for the pack of smokes on the table. She lit one and smiled up at him through the smoke. "So, now what?"

He dropped down into his chair, wrapping the duster close around him, then shook out a cigarette and lit it. "Don't know. Um… what've you been up to since…"

"Since you left without so much as a goodbye? Since then?"

He looked down at the floor and mumbled, "Yeah, since then."

She shrugged, "Been looking for you. I go to any town that has vampire activity and find a job, then hang out until I'm sure you aren't there and move on. I've been here about six months. You?"

"You've been lookin' for me?"

She nodded, "Yep. So what've you been doing?"

"Uh…. knocked about for a while in a bunch of different places and finally settled here. I work at the club enough to keep me in blood, booze, fags, and pay the rent on this place. That's about it."

She leaned on the arm of the couch and glared at him, "That is _not_ about it. Explain to me why you seem so afraid of everyone. Why were you ready to give me your money without even looking to see who or what I was?"

He looked away toward the door and closed his eyes. "The chip. I've had a few run-ins with humans that didn't end well for me. The first time, I told myself it was just bad luck. I mean, how can eight on one be good luck, right? The second time was my fault. I know I provoked the git, but gettin' his six mates to help pound on me was a bit much. After that I just stopped tryin' to fight back, hopin' they'd get tired of beatin' on me and just leave. Usually works unless they're right pissed."

She put her hand gently on his arm, "So now you're just afraid of everyone?"

He nodded, still looking at the door. "Yeah… safer that way. I don't go out 'less I have to so I can avoid humans. Last time the chip went off I'd bumped into a bloke comin' out of the store upstairs. Didn't hit him that hard, but the chip fired like I'd bitten him. Barely made it down here 'fore I passed out. Didn't wake up for three days and when I did I had dried blood in my ears and nose. I think there's somethin' wrong with it and I'm afraid that the next time it fires I won't wake up, so I avoid humans as much as I can. I've taken to tellin' people that I have a thing 'bout germs so I don't have to touch anyone."

"How long ago was that?"

He looked at her then looked down at his knees. "Almost a year. You're the only person I've willingly touched since then. I've been jumped a few times, but I just try to hold still and take the beatin' so the chip won't fire. You remember how the whelp was a demon magnet? Well, I think I'm a sadistic arsehole human magnet."

"So that's why you flinched away from everyone on the street on your way here?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Don't want to risk hurtin' someone even by accident. The chip doesn't care. Wait… you followed me?"

She smiled. "Well, yeah. How did you think I found you? Why did you hide from that bunch that came out of the bar?"

He looked toward the door again. "Last time I was jumped was by a group like that. Couple of the bigger blokes thought it'd be a spot of fun to drag me down an alley and have a go at me. One of 'em had seen me at the club and decided to try me out."

She reached up and gently turned his head to face her. "Try you out. You mean..." He looked away again as tears slid slowly down his cheeks and she whispered, "Oh God, Spike." She got up and straddled his lap then pulled him to her chest.

He flinched and tried to pull away, but she held fast. "Bit, the chip. Don't wanna hurt you."

She murmured, "The chip won't work on me. I'm not human." He didn't move for a few minutes then suddenly wrapped his arms around her and squeezed so tight that she had a little trouble breathing as he buried his face in her chest and sobbed out his pain. She stroked his hair and whispered, "Let it out, Spike. I'm here and I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you again." When he'd calmed down a little and his breathing had slowed, she placed her hands on each side of his face and raised his head to look at him. "I can deactivate the chip."

He blinked at her and whispered, "You can? How?" She moved back far enough to open the duster then reached into one of the inside pockets, pulling out a long piece of black plastic that looked like a flashlight. "That's it? Where'd you get it?"

"Riley Finn."

He snorted, "Soldier Boy? What, he decided to help me to make up for stakin' me?"

"He staked you? When? Why aren't you dust?"

"Plastic stake, luv. Looked real enough. Hurt like a bitch, too. It was after Buffy caught 'im gettin' bite jobs from vamps. Right before he left. How'd you get him to help you?"

She smiled, "Told him I'd kill him if he didn't."

"And he gave in. Just like that."

She laughed, "No. I had to throw him a beating before he was entirely convinced of the seriousness of my convictions."

Spike smirked, "You whipped Soldier Boy? How? There's hardly anythin' to ya, Bit."

She grinned, "I'm stronger than I used to be." She got up and walked over to the unused fireplace then punched a hole into the brick. She pulled her hand out and shook off the dust as she turned back to face him.

"Bloody hell, Bit!" He jumped to his feet and rushed over to her then took her hand gently in his and turned it over. He looked up at her and breathed, "How?"

"Short story; Willow did a spell that didn't quite work out like it was supposed to."

He tilted his head, "What's the long story?"

She led him over to the couch and sat down then pulled him down next to her. "Buffy found a weapon forged thousands of years ago that was meant for the Slayer. Potential slayers were being killed and the ones still alive came to Sunnydale to help fight the new Big Bad. They weren't strong enough without Buffy's power, so she had Willow do a spell using the weapon to distribute Slayer strength to all the potentials. Willow being Willow, she did something a little off and ended up giving Slayer strength to everyone in the group who wasn't fully human."

He leaned back and looked her up and down. "So you have Slayer strength?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Actually, I ended up stronger than Buffy. I'm damn near indestructible. All the potentials ended up at full strength, even Xander got some."

"The whelp? He's got the strength of a Slayer? But he's completely human. Bloody useless in a fight as I recall."

She laughed, "The hyena spirit that possessed him in high school never really left. He's not at full strength, but he fights a lot better now."

Spike looked down at his hands resting in his lap, "Great. Now he'll be able to stake me right proper if we ever meet up again."

"I won't let him, Spike." She slid her finger under his chin and lifted his head then leaned in and gently kissed him.

He pulled back and jumped to his feet, looking at her warily. "Bit, are you sure 'bout this? I don't have a soul. 'M just a filthy thing. Your sis couldn't love me 'cause of that."

She jumped up and stood directly in front of him, hands on her hips. "No, my sister couldn't love you because she was a self-centered, cast iron bitch who couldn't see past **what** you are to **who** you are. I've never had that problem. I love you for everything that you are. Man and demon. No soul required."

He backed away and started pacing back and forth across the small room, his duster flaring out behind him every time he turned. "Dawn, I'm evil. The only reason I don't kill is 'cause of this soddin' chip. Serial killer in prison, yeah? You don't want to get mixed up with me, 'm bad news."

She snagged his arm, forcing him to stop and look at her. "Ok, I'm calling bullshit on that one. The chip isn't what keeps you from killing. Yeah, it keeps you from killing someone **yourself**, but it doesn't stop you from getting someone **else** to kill for you. You could've found someone to kill me and Xander and Willow and Giles, but you didn't. You helped us instead. **You** keep you from killing, Spike. And yes, you're soulless, but you're a vampire. The soulless evil stuff is part of the package, but you haven't been evil for a long time. You are not a _thing._ You are not _filthy. _You've got to get rid of all that crap Buffy pounded into your brain, Spike. None of it is true."

He looked down at the floor and murmured, "Yeah, I guess," then looked up at her with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "You love me?"

She smiled and reached up to gently brush the hair out of his eyes. "Yes, Spike. I love you. I'll tell you that as many times as you need to hear it, until it's drilled into your brain. I love you. You're worth loving."


	5. Chapter 5 Tactile

Not Long to Wait

Ch 5 – Tactile

"Ok, lie down on the couch and let's get that stupid chip turned off." She slid the duster off his shoulders then dug in one of the pockets, pulling out a small rectangular piece of plastic before she dropped the duster in the chair. Spike lay down; lifting his arm as Dawn sat down next to his hip, then draped it over her legs.

"What's that?"

"It's a scanner. It'll tell me if the chip still has power running through it." She held the scanner up near his head and pushed a button. It beeped. "See? The beep means the chip is still live." She held the other device to his head and looked into his eyes, "Here we go. I don't know if this'll hurt or not so be ready just in case."

He reached up and grasped her arm with a worried look on his face. "You sure that thing'll work? Soldier Boy isn't exactly my biggest fan. How d'you know he didn't lie to you and give you somethin' that'll scramble what little brain I have left?"

She put the device down on the floor and placed her hand on his chest. "Because I told him that if this didn't work then I'd dedicate my life to hunting him down and once I found him I'd rip his arm off and beat him to death with it." Spike just stared at her and she smiled. "I've found that the threat of a violent and painful death is a great motivator to not fuck up."

"Wow, Bit, you've come a long way since Sunnydale."

She brushed the hair out of his eyes, "Well, I kinda had to. Didn't have my own personal Big Bad watching out for me anymore."

He took her hand in his and whispered, "I'm sorry I left you, Dawn. Please don't be angry with me."

She squeezed his hand, "I'm not mad that you left… well… maybe I am, a little, but I understand why you did. I only wish I'd found you sooner, before those people hurt you." She took a deep breath and pushed her hair back over her shoulders then slipped one hand under his shirt and rested it lightly on his stomach. "I've learned a few things about vampires since you left."

She started slowly rubbing circles on his stomach and chest. He looked down at her hand moving beneath his shirt and swallowed, "Uh… such as?"

She scratched lightly across his chest and he drew in a quick breath. "I've learned that vamps are social creatures. They're not meant to be alone." She lightly pinched a nipple and he gasped. "And they're very tactile. They like to touch and be touched." She pushed his shirt up and leaned over to take the nipple in her teeth. He moaned loudly and pressed his head back into the couch cushion.

She slid off the couch and knelt on the floor next to it, suckling his nipple as she moved. He lifted his head and looked at her with wide eyes. *_Bloody hell!* _She licked and nipped her way to the other nipple and drew it sharply into her mouth. He arched up off the couch and his hand lifted up and gently cupped the back of her head. She kissed a trail down his chest and stomach then licked across the skin just above the waistband of his jeans. He shuddered as she popped the top button. *_What is she doing?* _

His hand tightened on her head and she looked up and smiled at him. "You ok, Spike?"

"Um… yeah." He closed his eyes then swallowed hard and vamped. "Are you sure you want this?" He motioned toward his face. "I don't… um… want you to… feel dirty... or regret anythin'."

She lifted up and leaned over him so that her face was above his then slowly ran her fingers through his hair and placed a gentle kiss to the bumpies on his forehead. "Spike, I'm sure. I don't **just** want this." She rested her hand gently on the large bulge in his jeans. "I want **you**. **All** of you. I **want** to be here and I want to make **you** feel good. I'm not gonna just use you and leave."

She kissed across his forehead and down his cheek to his lips, then nicked her tongue on one fang and probed his mouth with her bleeding tongue. He gasped when he tasted the blood and pushed her head back. "You're bleedin', Bit."

"I know." She leaned down to kiss him again but he held her head fast.

"You're givin' me your blood? Freely?" He looked up at her with astonishment in his eyes.

She tilted her head, "Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I? Don't you want it?"

"Yeah, I want it… it's just... nobody's ever trusted me enough to **give** me their blood."

She leaned down and kissed him then murmured against his lips. "I trust you, Spike." She nicked her tongue again and probed his mouth, sighing when he sucked at the wound then licked it closed. She pulled back and smiled down at him, "Now lay back and relax… well… as much as you can, considering what I'm about to do to you. Just be a good little vamp and I won't have to tie you up." His eyes widened and she smirked down at him. "This time."

XX

XXXX

XX

He arched up off the couch in full game face, roaring as he spent his seed deep in her throat, then he fell back to the couch, panting harshly. He whispered, "God, Dawn, that was…" and passed out. She licked him clean and tucked him back into his jeans then did up the buttons.

She smiled as she watched his demon recede then picked the device up off the floor, pressed it gently to his head above the chip, and pushed the button. He tensed slightly and twitched back into game face for a second then fell still again. She picked up the scanner and held it above his head. No beep. *_You're free now, Spike.*_

She got up and walked into the kitchen looking for a snack, but Spike didn't have any human food anywhere in the cupboards. There were only a few blood bags in the fridge and half a dozen bottles of Jack in the freezer. "God, Spike. You used to love eating human food. Now all you've got is blood and booze." She looked around the kitchen and smiled. "I'm gonna fix that." She walked back over to the couch and leaned down to give him a gentle kiss then whispered, "I'll be right back, Spike."

XX

XXXX

XX

Spike woke slowly and blinked at the empty room then sat up, clutching his head. *_Bloody hell. What'd she do to me?* _He looked around blearily then sniffed deeply. *_She's gone.* _His shoulders slumped and he fell back against the couch. *_Should've expected it, I guess.*_ He reached over and snagged his duster out of the chair, then lay down on his side, wrapping it around him. *_Least I've got my coat.* _He lifted it over his head and smelled deeply of the leather. *_Smells like her.* _He closed his eyes and fell asleep with tears slipping off his cheeks.


	6. Chapter 6 It's Dead

Not Long to Wait

Ch 6 – It's Dead

She let herself back into the apartment then walked into the kitchen and dropped several bags of groceries and to-go containers on the counter. She dug through the cupboards until she found a large mug then pulled a blood bag out of the fridge. She had to tear it open with her teeth because Spike apparently didn't own any knives. She drained it into the mug and popped it into the small microwave.

While it was heating, she quickly stowed the groceries and carried the to-go containers into the living room. She set the food on the beat up coffee table then headed back into the kitchen when the microwave beeped. She pulled the warm blood out of the microwave and placed it on the table near Spike's head then pulled the coat away from his face and frowned at the tears still wet on his cheeks. She dropped to her knees beside the couch and gently rubbed the tears away with her thumb. "Spike? Hey, you in there?"

His eyelids fluttered then opened slowly. He looked at her worried face for a moment, then closed his eyes again and whispered, "You came back."

She smiled and leaned in, placing a gentle kiss to his lips. "Well, yeah. Did you think I wouldn't?"

He nodded slightly and whispered, "Thought you'd changed your mind about me."

She placed her hand on his cheek and held it there until he opened his eyes. "Never gonna happen. I love you, Spike. Now sit up and drink your blood before it gets cold."

He sat up slowly and picked up the mug, turning it in his hands but not drinking. "How long was I out?"

She pulled a phone from her pocket and looked at the screen. "About an hour or so, I guess. You must've woken up while I was gone because you've got your coat and you didn't when I left. Drink up. You need to heal. I deactivated the chip while you were passed out."

"So that's why my head hurts. It's really dead?"

She nodded, "Yep. The scanner doesn't register a charge, so it's dead. You're finally free of it, Spike. Want to go punch someone and test it out?"

He smiled and shook his head, "Maybe later. Um… thanks for… earlier."

She got up and sat down on the couch next to him then leaned over and nuzzled his ear. "No problem. I'll do it again if you want after you've had your blood."

He turned to look at her and tilted his head. "You don't want me to give you your turn?"

She lifted the hand holding the mug, "Drink your blood. We've got all kinds of time to do all kinds of fun things, and yes, I'd love for you to, but it's not like you owe me, Spike. I did that because I love you and I wanted to make you feel good, not because I expected payback. I'm not Buffy."

He laughed bitterly as he gripped the cup, "No, you aren't, Bit. She never did anythin' like that for me. It was always 'bout her, what she wanted, and she didn't care if I got any pleasure out of it as long as she got off. She ran out leaving me bloody and bruised and aching for release more times than I care to count."

"Told you she was a bitch, Spike."

He looked down at the cup in his hand then raised it to his lips and drank it down. He set it on the table then clasped his hands together in his lap and turned to her, "Dawn, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Spike, whatever you want."

"You keep talkin' 'bout Buffy in the past tense. She's dead, isn't she?"

"Yeah."

He blanched and looked down at his hands. "When?"

"About a year after you left. I already told you about the Big Bad that all the potentials came to fight. Well, the school had been rebuilt right over the Hellmouth and it'd set up camp down there. We all went in to fight it and Buffy didn't make it out. Angel had given her this necklace that was supposed to help. She killed the Big Bad and the necklace wiped out the minions and closed the Hellmouth. Sunnydale's gone. Nothing but a giant crater now."

"That soddin' poofter just left her to die?"

She shook her head. "No. He wanted to be the one to wear the necklace but she sent him away. Something about if we lost then he'd have to pick up the fight."

"Who else made it out?"

"Everyone except Buffy, Anya, and a few of the potentials." She lifted his chin and looked into his eyes. "Are you ok?"

He shrugged, "Don't know. Not sure how I feel 'bout her anymore. Yesterday I would've been devastated by her death. Today I'm findin' it a bit hard to give a bloody damn." He ran his hands angrily through his hair. "God! I wanted her for so long. Thought I loved her, and maybe I did at first, but then things just started gettin' so bad. But I stuck around, kept tryin' to make her see me, hopin' she'd love me, 'cause I haven't had that, not since my Mum."

She took his hand in her own and twined their fingers together. "You've got it now if you want it. I'll never treat you like shit or beat on you just because I'm having a bad day. And you don't have to worry about me leaving you unless you tell me to go and even then you'll have a fight on your hands. I love you, Spike, and I hope that one day you might love me back. I know it's gonna take time with everything you've been through, but I'm willing to wait. You're worth it to me."

He pulled her into his lap and kissed her long and deep then pressed his forehead to hers. "Don't think you'll have to wait long, luv. Not long at all."


	7. Chapter 7 Make Him Sorry

Not Long to Wait

Ch 7 – Make Him Sorry

He leaned against the building, moaning low in his throat as she nibbled on his neck and ran her hands over his chest. She ground against him and he growled, "Luv, if you keep doin' that, we're gonna give these people quite a show. We're already gettin' some strange looks."

She glanced back over her shoulder and glared at the people walking past. "Let 'em look. They're just jealous that they don't have someone as sexy as you to nibble on." She nipped at his neck again then ran her fingers through his hair, brushing it back from his face. "We really need to do something with your hair, Spike."

He laughed, "What's wrong with my hair, luv?"

She nibbled up his neck and bit down gently on his earlobe. "Well, I kinda miss the blond, but I like the length. We just need to keep it off your face. It's too beautiful to hide under all that hair."

"Oi! I am not beautiful!"

She laughed, "Ok, ok. You're handsome and strong and manly instead of beautiful, Mr. Picky Pants." She leaned up for a soft kiss then asked, "Wanna go get something to eat?"

"Sure, luv. There's an Italian place just down the street."

They set off down the street holding hands, talking and laughing. As they passed a noisy bar, four men stepped out onto the sidewalk behind them. "Well. Well. Would ya look at this! It's my blue-eyed pansy boy!"

Spike stuttered to a halt and started trembling as he gripped Dawn's hand almost hard enough to break it. She lifted her other hand to his arm and frowned at the fear rolling off him. "Spike?"

The largest man in the group stepped up behind Spike and leaned close. "Back for another go round, boy? Liked it that much, did ya?" He clamped a meaty hand around the back of Spike's neck and shoved him toward a nearby alley, tearing him away from Dawn. Two of the other men latched viciously on to Dawn's arms and pushed her roughly around the corner then pinned her against the wall.

The man holding Spike pushed him against the rough brick building on the other side of the alley and stripped the duster off him, tossing it away. He pressed himself tight against Spike's back and started thrusting his hips against Spike's ass while he whispered, "Can't wait to get my dick in that tight ass. Gonna fuck you good, boy, then I'm gonna fuck your bitch."

Spike's eyes were closed and he was mouthing the word 'no' over and over as he dug his fingers into the brick. Dawn saw the tears spilling down his cheeks as she said quietly, "The chip is dead, Spike. You've got your bite back."

The two men holding her looked at her strangely and one said, "Bite? What the hell?" He turned toward the man holding Spike, "This one's crazy, Jim." He looked back at her and asked, "What are you talking about, bitch?"

She smiled at him and nodded her head toward Spike. "Look."

Spike's eyes were glowing amber and the light from the street was glinting off his fangs. He growled low in his chest; "Get OFF me!" then braced his hands on the wall and pushed violently backwards.

Jim stumbled back across the alley, laughing, "Oh, gonna fight me this time, boy? Good. I like it rough." He stepped forward and Spike spun and landed a hard punch square on Jim's jaw, sending him flying across the alley. He crashed into a dumpster and slumped to the dirty pavement as Spike froze and clutched his head, expecting to be brought to his knees by blinding pain.

When the pain didn't come, he looked up and caught Dawn's eye then grinned around his fangs. She whispered, "Go get him, Spike. Make him sorry."

The two men holding Dawn were standing there bug-eyed and had forgotten that they were supposed to be restraining her. She slipped her arms out of their grasp and whipped her hands up, grabbing fistfuls of their hair. She slammed their heads together with a loud crack then laughed as they slid bonelessly to the ground.

Spike slipped across the alley with vampire speed and hauled Jim up by the front of his shirt then pinned him against the wall with a pale hand to his neck. Jim screamed like a little girl when he saw Spike's demon and his bladder suddenly let go. Spike wrinkled his nose as he looked down at the puddle forming on the ground just beneath Jim's shaking boots. "Pitiful, mate, just pitiful. Thought you liked it rough."

The man on look-out at the mouth of the alley glanced from Jim dangling from Spike's hand to his friends lying unconscious on the ground and suddenly decided that he had pressing business elsewhere.

Spike wrapped his hands in Jim's shirt and tossed him into the wall across the alley. He bounced off and landed in a heap then Spike hauled him up and pinned him against the wall again. Jim blinked blood out of his eye and stammered, "What the hell are you?"

Spike pushed his head to the side then leaned in and snarled, "William the Bloody, Master Vampire, at your service," then sank his fangs deep. Jim screamed and his hands scrabbled ineffectively at Spike's back for a few minutes then fell limply to his sides as his eyes glazed over. Spike lifted his bloody mouth from Jim's neck and roared loudly into the night then dropped him to the ground with a thud as he licked the blood from his fangs.

Dawn casually walked over and picked up the duster then shook the dirt off and held it out to Spike. "He dead?"

Spike took the coat and shrugged into it then wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. "No. I left enough in 'im to keep 'im alive." He leashed the demon and pressed his forehead to hers. "You were right, Bit, I keep me from killing."

She grinned and gave him a quick peck, "Told ya. Alright Big Bad, let's go get something to eat, I'm starving." She started walking toward the street then stopped when she noticed that Spike wasn't following her. She turned to see him still standing in the same spot, staring down at Jim. "What's wrong, Spike?"

He looked up at her with a tortured expression. "What if I had killed him, Dawn? Would you still be able to love me?"

She walked back over to him and grabbed the lapels of the duster, pulling him close. "Yes. No question." She kissed him hard, tasting Jim's blood in his mouth, then slipped her arms inside the duster and wrapped him up tight, whispering against his neck. "He's the evil one, not you. He has a soul and he still hurts people just because he can. You don't have a soul and you let him live even after what he did to you. You're the better man, Spike. And you're stronger than I am. I would've killed him. Slowly. Now let's go before I decide to kill him anyway for hurting you."

He looked at her with wide eyes and whispered, "You'd kill for me?"

"In a heartbeat." Sirens warbled faintly in the distance and Dawn backed up. "We'd better go. Sounds like running man called the cops." She took Spike's hand and pulled him out of the alley and down the street. They stepped through the door of the restaurant just as three cop cars screeched to a halt at the mouth of the alley.

Dawn glanced at Spike with a worried look, "Should we get out of here? They might come looking for us."

Spike shook his head, "No, they won't. This town's just like Sunnydale, pet. Doesn't matter how much he carries on that he was bitten by a vampire, the bobbies'll just chalk it up to an animal attack or a BBQ fork accident. We're safe." He pulled her close and nuzzled her neck then licked across her pulse point, smiling at her gasp. "Let's get a table, pet, so I can have dinner with the woman I love."

She stared at him with wide eyes and broke into a huge grin.


	8. Chapter 8 Talk Funny

Not Long to Wait

Ch 8 – Talk Funny

Dawn spun around and jammed her stake into the shaggy-haired vampire just as Spike twisted the head off his twin. She straightened up and brushed the vamp dust off her jacket then smiled, "Never seen twin vamps before."

Spike slipped his duster off and gave it a good shake then put it back on. "Neither have I and I've got a century on you, pet."

She glanced over his shoulder then tossed her stake to him. "Behind you."

He caught it, flipping it around as he took a step to his left then swung his fist back, hitting the mark without even looking behind him. "Dotty fledges. Should know better than to try to sneak up on a Master. That git probably wasn't out of the ground more than a few weeks."

She laughed. "I've never seen a place with this many vampires. How many have we dusted this week?"

He slipped the stake into an inside pocket and leaned against the building. "I've got us at fifty-three, pet. Told you the bobbies wouldn't be tryin' to find anythin'. This town is lousy with vampires."

She kicked at the dust pile near her feet. "If there's so many, then why didn't Jimmy boy know what you were? He acted like he'd never seen a vampire before."

Spike shrugged, "It's very possible he hasn't, luv. All the vamps here are fledges. I haven't sensed any over ten years old and no masters at all."

"So? Why does that make a difference?"

"Fledges aren't at full strength yet so they only hunt small or weak humans. That sod is too big for a fledge to go after, 'specially if he's always with his mates."

She pulled out a crumpled pack of smokes, lit two and handed one to him. "What about other demons? I haven't seen anything besides vamps and I've been here six months."

He nodded his thanks then brought the cigarette to his lips and inhaled deeply. "No Hellmouth, luv. Nothin' to draw 'em here. One reason it's so popular with us. Lots of Happy Meals and no competition."

She stepped close to him then turned around and leaned against him. "Oh. Well at least that means no researching demons trying to find out how to kill them. Between the two of us we should have this town pretty much vamp-free in a month or so."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck, "Then what, luv?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, maybe find some other little town with a bloodsucker problem and de-vamp it." She took a long draw on her cigarette then tossed it away and turned around to face him. "So tell me, Master William, would you like to travel the countryside with me and dust vampires wherever we find them?"

He burst out laughing, "Nice accent, luv. You sound **almost** English. Wouldn't fool an Englishman, of course, but I'm sure Colonials would eat it up."

She smiled, "I've been watching a lot of Doctor Who since I got here, and in my line of work I have a lot of time on my hands to practice talking funny."

He scowled, "Oi! I do not _talk funny!_"

She smiled at him then leaned in and gave him a kiss. "I love how you talk, Spike. It's very sexy. Just hearing you speak in that low, growly voice makes me wet."

He growled low, "Like this, kitten?"

She nodded and ground against him, "Like that. God, that makes me hot."

He grinned, "Good to know, pet. So, what d'you do for work anyway? You've never said."

She shrugged, "Same as you."

He smirked, "You strip in a gay night club?"

She laughed, "No, I've been stripping in the club across the street from yours."

He grabbed her arms and snarled, "You've been workin' for Butch?"

She looked down at his hands on her arms then frowned as she looked back up at him. "Yeah. What's wrong, Spike?"

His grip on her arms tightened just a little. "He's never tried to… do anythin' to you, has he?"

She shook her head, "No. Why?"

He loosened his grip then dropped his hands. "I've heard things 'bout how he treats his girls."

She smiled, "I've heard the same things, but I told him when I first started there what would happen to him if he touched me. He's been nothing but respectful to me."

He smirked, "What'd you threaten 'im with?"

She shrugged and smirked at him. "Told him anything he touched me with would get ripped off and fed to him."

He burst out laughing, "Wish I could've seen the look on his face when he heard that."

She laughed with him, "It was pretty funny." She pulled her phone from her pocket and punched a few buttons. "I'm actually supposed to work tomorrow. You want to come watch?"

He shook his head, "Don't think that'd be a very good idea, pet."

She frowned, "Why? Thought you'd want to see me dancing around half naked."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I love to see you starkers, pet. Just don't think you'd keep your job very long if I started poundin' on the customers for lookin' at my girl."

She nuzzled his neck and nibbled on his ear. "I love you, Spike."

He murmured against her neck, "Love you too, Bit, just wish I had enough dosh to take care of you properly. Don't like you havin' to work for rubbish like Butch."

He nibbled on her neck then kissed up her jaw to her lips. She tangled her hands in his hair and pulled him into a deep kiss then suddenly stiffened and pulled back. "Oh my God! I totally forgot!" She backed up a step and jerked open the duster then started digging in the pockets.

Spike looked down at her with wide eyes. "What're you doin', Bit?"

"Looking for something."

"I'd gathered that, luv. What're you looking for?"

"An orange piece of paper with some information written on it. Thought I left it in the duster, but it must be back at my apartment." She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the alley then hailed a cab. They climbed into the back seat and Spike's eyes got wide when she gave the driver her address.

She looked over at him and noticed the look on his face, "What?"

"That's the most posh part of town, Bit."

She smiled, "Yeah, I know."

He sputtered, "If you live there then why the hell have you been stayin' at my shitty little flat?"

She leaned into him then slipped her hand under his shirt and scratched her nails lightly down his chest. "Because that's where you are." He leaned his head back as she nipped at his neck then moaned as her hand dropped lower and started rubbing him through his jeans. She whispered in his ear, "You make me so hot, Spike." She shifted her hips and laid her leg over his then took his hand and placed it on the inside of her thigh. He growled as he slid his hand up her leg to her core and found it uncovered.

"Mmmm, no knickers, pet. Just the way I like it." He deftly slid two fingers in and worked her with his thumb until she was panting and moaning against his neck. She thrust herself against his hand and clenched, biting down on his shoulder to muffle the scream as she climaxed. She leaned back against the seat and panted as he brought his fingers to his mouth and licked them clean. "You taste so good, kitten."

The cab pulled over to the curb and they climbed out. Dawn stepped to the front window to pay the driver and he motioned for her to lean down then whispered, "Your guy there, he's a vampire, miss. He's got no reflection. You shouldn't invite him in."

She looked back over her shoulder at Spike and smiled then turned back to the driver and whispered, "I know." She handed over the fare and stepped back then laughed when the driver caught sight of Spike standing behind her in full game face. She leaned back into him, baring her neck, then giggled when the driver stomped on the gas and sped away from the curb just as Spike's fangs brushed her skin. She turned to face him and kissed him hard then whispered, "I want you. Now."

His demon receded as he took her hand and pulled her toward the building. She waved at the doorman when he pulled open the door and they walked quickly into the lobby. She pointed to the elevators and he hurried them over and pushed the button. "Not that one, Spike. Mine's around the corner."

He tilted his head. "You have your own lift?"

She nodded. "Yep, I live in the penthouse." She pulled him into the private elevator and punched the button. As the doors slid closed she pushed him against the wall and popped the buttons of his jeans. He growled as her mouth slid around him and tangled his hands in her hair as she went to work. He was panting and thrusting his hips when the doors slid open and she got to her feet and led her lust dazed vampire into the apartment. She pulled him into the living room and slid her skirt up then bent over the back of the couch as she looked back over her shoulder. "It's not nice to keep a lady waiting, Spike."

He grinned as he stepped forward and grasped her hips, moaning as he slid deep into her heat. "God, you feel so good." He thrust slowly at first then harder as she held onto the couch and pushed back against him. He slid his hand around and fingered her as she panted and grunted with the force of his thrusts. She clenched, screaming his name, and he followed her with a loud roar then collapsed onto her back and murmured, "So good, pet. So bloody good."

She smiled and lifted her head, "So, you want the tour?"


	9. Chapter 9 The Table

Not Long to Wait

Ch 9 – The Table

"Bloody hell, Dawn, this place is amazin'. How can you afford it? I know strippers make good money but this…"

She dropped down on the couch and pulled him down beside her. "The Council is paying for it."

His eyebrow rose, "The Council of Wankers pays for your flat?"

She laughed, "Yeah. We have an arrangement. I kill whatever demons I find wherever I am and they pay for my apartment. I can tell you I've definitely earned it in this town. I've never dusted so many vamps in one place before. About a month ago I found a nest in an old apartment building and dusted twenty-six in one night."

Spike chuckled, "I heard about that. Ran across a couple of fledges on my way back to my flat and they told me I should get out of town 'cause the Slayer was here and on a mission. Think the story got a little blown out of proportion though. They told me it was closer to fifty vamps." He tilted his head and smiled, "Are you the Slayer?"

Dawn laughed, "No, Faith still is. Last I heard, she and Robin were in Cleveland or somewhere. I don't really keep in touch."

"Faith's still kickin' about? Thought she'd have been killed by now. Who's Robin?"

"Her husband. He was the Principal of the rebuilt school in Sunnydale. His mom was a Slayer back in the '70s."

Spike turned to face her with a thoughtful expression. "Is he black?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Why?"

His eyes got wide and he glanced over at the duster draped over a chair then whispered, "Nikki."

She smacked her palm against her forehead, "God, I don't know why I didn't realize it before. Your second Slayer. I've read all your history; I should've put it together. You killed Robin's mother."

He looked down at his hands and murmured, "Yeah," then looked back up at her. "Does he know it was me? Did Buffy tell 'im?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. Wouldn't put it past her though. I know he's been hunting for the vamp that killed his mom for pretty much his whole life, but he never said anything about knowing it was you. Least not that I heard. Guess we'll just have to wait and see if we ever meet up with him."

Spike looked up at the ceiling and scowled, "Yeah. Lookin' forward to that. We fight… I kill him… and then look over my shoulder for Faith and a pointy bit of wood for the rest of my unlife."

Dawn shook her head, "Oh, I don't think you'd be fighting just him. If he knows then Faith does too."

Spike sighed, "Great. I'm not sorry I killed Nikki. It was part of the dance and she knew that, but I'm doubtin' that he's gonna see things the same way."

"No, probably not. Guess we'll see."

"Yeah." He ran his fingers through his hair then glanced at his duster again, "So what's the paper you were lookin' for earlier?"

She jumped off the couch and walked to the desk in the corner of the room under the window. She opened a drawer and moved some stuff around then pulled out a well worn piece of folded orange paper and brought it back over to the couch. She handed it to Spike then sat down and folded her hands in her lap.

He looked at her then looked down at the paper in his hand and carefully opened it. "United Central Bank of Los Angeles. Account Number 85737327299." He looked up at her again and asked, "What is this, Bit?"

She smiled, "Your account."

He frowned and shook his head, "I don't have any accounts, Dawn. What're you talkin' about?"

She scooted closer to him and twined her fingers with his, "After you left, I called Angel and asked if he could help me find you. He said you'd probably just gone to find someone to remove the chip and you'd be back."

He growled, "Ponce never did like me. I'm not surprised he didn't help you."

She squeezed his hand, "He did help, Spike. After Sunnydale took a crap, I went to stay with him in LA. He's the head of this huge law firm and he put some of his people to work researching you. He figured that you'd probably gone back to England, so he had them look up everything they could find on your human life."

Spike shook his head, "I don't understand, Bit. How's knowin' what a poncy git I was then supposed to help find me now?"

She smiled, "He thought you might go back to where you grew up. I didn't, so I just went to any town I heard of with vamp activity and looked for you."

He held up the orange paper. "So how's this fit in?"

"During the research they uncovered an account in London that your Dad opened in your name when you were born. He put money into it every year until he died and it'd been just sitting there ever since. Angel had some papers worked up that said I was your great-great whatever granddaughter and had the money moved to LA."

"So it's your money."

She shook her head, "No, it's yours. The account's in my name but I haven't touched it. Told you I didn't want your money, Spike."

"But you could've used it to live on instead of havin' to work for gits like Butch."

She shook her head again, "It's yours, Spike. It would've been wrong for me to use it without your permission."

"How much is there?"

"Last time I checked it was close to three million."

Spike bolted to his feet as his mouth dropped open and he shouted, "Dollars?!"

Dawn burst into laughter, "Yes, dollars. You're a millionaire, Spike."

He fell back against the couch in a boneless heap and whispered, "Bloody hell."

Dawn's phone started chirping an annoying tune and she rolled her eyes as she pulled it from her pocket. "Speak of the devil." She flipped it open. "Hi, Angel. We were just talking about you." She got to her feet and started pacing around the living room.

She grinned, "Yeah, about a week ago."

She mouthed over to Spike, 'Love you,' then said into the phone, "He's fine. Chip's dead."

She frowned at the phone and spat out, "No, he hasn't killed anyone and he's not going to."

The grin was back. "Yeah, we are."

She shook her head, "No, I haven't told anyone."

"Kay, talk to you later. Bye." She closed the phone and smiled over at Spike as she stuffed it back into her pocket. When she saw the look on his face she dropped onto the couch next to him and gently cupped his cheek. "What's wrong?"

"You haven't told anyone 'bout me. Us."

She shook her head, "No, I haven't. So?"

The pain in his eyes broke her heart as he said quietly, "So I'm to be your dirty little secret then. Keep me hidden away from your friends and family." He looked away as his voice dropped to barely a whisper, "Just like last time."

She straddled his lap and pulled him close. "No, Spike. You're not my secret and I'm proud to be your girl. I told you I don't keep in touch with anyone. Angel's the first person from the old bunch I've talked to since I moved here. Angel and Giles are the only two that even know where I am."

He pushed her back a little and looked up at her, "You didn't tell Angel."

She smiled, "Didn't need to. He already knows how I feel about you."

"Oh. Why'd he call just now? It sounded like he already knew I was here."

"He did. He has people keeping tabs on me because he's annoying like that. Whoever it is probably saw me with you and called him. If it'll make you feel better I'll get Giles on the phone and tell him right now. It's kind of early there but I don't mind waking him up." She pulled her phone out and flipped it open then started punching numbers.

Spike reached up and stilled her fingers. "No, you don't need to ring the Watcher. I'm sorry, pet. I shouldn't have expected you to act like Buffy. I should've trusted you."

She closed the phone and dropped it onto the table at the end of the couch then gently brushed his hair back out of his eyes. "It's ok, Spike. You've been through a lot of crap and I know it's gonna take time for you to be secure in how I feel about you, but if you're ever unsure of something, just ask me. Okay?"

"Ok, luv." He pulled her close and kissed her fiercely then started kissing down her neck as he slipped his hands under her shirt. He reached up to unclasp her bra and growled against her neck, "No bra and no knickers. You're bloody perfect." He slid one hand around to her front and cupped a breast, flicking the nipple with his thumb. She reached down and pulled the shirt over her head then tangled her hands in his hair and brought his mouth to her breast.

"I love feeling your mouth on me, Spike."

She felt the bulge in his pants get suddenly larger as he mumbled against her breast, "Do you now?" He laved the nipple with his tongue then drew it sharply into his mouth and suckled. She gasped and pushed against him as he purred low in his chest. He moved to the other breast and circled the nipple with his tongue then bit down on it gently. She moaned as he slid his hands under her then stood and carried her to the dining room table. He set her on the edge then slowly laid her down as he kissed and licked down her stomach.

When he reached her skirt he slid the fabric up over her hips and moved down to bite gently on the inside of her thigh. She gasped and clutched his hair as he dropped to his knees at the edge of the table. He draped her legs over his shoulders as he nibbled up her leg then turned and delved deep into her with his tongue. She moaned and raised her hips as he thrust and curled his tongue. "Taste so bloody good, pet." He replaced his tongue with two fingers and licked gently and thrust slowly until she was panting and pulling toward him. He drew her in and sucked hard while he moved his tongue quickly. She was screaming and trying to pull his hair clean out as she clamped her thighs around his head and arched up off the table.

She'd let go of his hair and was grasping the edges of the table the fifth time she arched up and clamped her thighs tight around his head. She fell back to the table and quivered as he licked at her gently. She murmured, "Illegal. That mouth should be illegal it's so good." He growled against her then worked his tongue quickly and she arched up again.

She fell back to the table completely limp and he raised his head and smiled then got to his feet, holding her legs. He stood and looked down at her splayed across the table with her hair fanned out around her head. Her breathing had slowed and her eyes were closed. She was out. He chuckled as he gently picked her up and carried her to the bedroom then pulled the covers back and tucked her in. He placed a gentle kiss to her lips and whispered, "Love you, Dawn."


	10. Chapter 10 Muzzled

Not Long to Wait

Ch 10 – Muzzled

Dawn's phone was chirping again as Spike walked back into the living room. He picked it up and looked at the screen then frowned. He flipped it open and sighed as he said, "'Lo, Watcher."

"Spike." You could almost see the contempt dripping out of the phone. "Where is Dawn?"

"Sleepin'. What can I do for you, Rupert?"

"You can leave. Get out and leave her be."

The words sliced through him like a sword. *_I should leave. I don't deserve her.* _He shook his head and clenched his jaw and there was steel in his voice when he answered. "No. She wants me here and it's her decision to make. If she asks me to go, I will, but 'til then I'll be here whether you like it or not." He dropped down onto the couch. "Guess Peaches rang you, yeah?"

"Yes. He's concerned about Dawn and your... relationship."

"What about it? I'm not gonna harm her, Rupert."

"You harmed Buffy and that was while you were chipped. Dawn has no such protection if I'm to believe what Angel told me about her deactivating it."

Spike laughed bitterly, "The Slayer hurt me far more than I ever did her. She used to beat the livin' shit outta me. I was her personal vampire punchin' bag. Did you know that, Rupert? No, you probably didn't, not that you'd give a bloody damn, and yes, Dawn did kill the chip. And as far as Dawn havin' _protection_ from me, the chip didn't work on her anyway. She's not human."

"Have you started killing again?"

"No."

"Do you plan to?"

"I'll kill to defend Dawn or myself but not to feed."

"You expect me to believe that one of the most notoriously violent vampires in all of history is going to stop killing just like that?"

"I haven't killed anyone since that buggerin' chip got shoved up my brain. How long ago was that, Watcher?"

"Irrelevant. You were muzzled. Now you aren't."

Spike angrily ran his hand through his hair. "God, you're bloody thick, Rupert. I couldn't do the deed myself but if I'd really wanted someone dead I could've hired it out or taken over a vamp nest and had my minions kill for me. I could've done a lot of things that I didn't do, Watcher."

There was silence on the line for several minutes then Giles cleared his throat, "I suppose you do have a point."

"Yeah, I suppose I do. I'll have Bit ring you when she wakes. Goodbye, Rupert." He flipped the phone closed then leaned his head back and closed his eyes. *_That went well. He'll probably be on the next bloody plane with the Scoobies in tow, sharpened stakes at the ready.*_

He got to his feet and wandered around the apartment absently looking at things until he ended up in the kitchen standing in front of the fridge. He opened it and smiled at the shelves full of Chinese food containers and pizza boxes. _Guess Bit still doesn't like to cook._

He walked back into the living room and rummaged through the desk until he found paper and a pen. He scribbled a quick note then snagged his duster and quietly slipped out.

XX

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XX

She yawned and stretched then relaxed and opened her eyes. She smiled at the ceiling for a few minutes before she remembered why she was smiling. *_Spike. God, that tongue. That mouth. He's perfect.* _She pushed the covers back and glanced at the clock then sat up and looked down at herself. No shirt and her skirt was still bunched up around her waist. She stood and slipped it off, dropping it into the hamper on the way to the bathroom. She slipped into the shower and quickly washed up then wandered out to the living room in a robe with a towel wrapped around her dripping hair.

_*Duster's gone. He's not here. Wonder where he went?*_ She wandered toward the kitchen and noticed a piece of paper lying in the center of the dining room table. A shiver went down her spine and blooming warmth filled her core as she remembered what had happened on that table not four hours ago. She grasped the edge of it in a tight grip and pressed her legs together, a loud moan escaping her lips. *_God, he can make me come just by remembering what he's done to me.*_

She reached for the paper and smiled when she saw the delicate back slanted writing. *_He has such beautiful handwriting. It's… I don't know… elegant, I guess. Looks like the writing in a lot of those old dusty books of Giles'.*_

_Pet, Gone to get something to eat. Be back soon. All my love, -S-_

She glanced at the clock then walked to the window and pulled back the curtain. Daylight was just breaking across the horizon. *_He got caught by the sun. Hope he made it back to his apartment.*_ She closed the curtain and slipped out of the robe as she hurried into the bedroom. She toweled her hair then quickly combed it out and twisted it into a loose braid. She rummaged through her closet and pulled out a long flowing skirt and a loose tank top then bypassed the dresser that contained her underwear with a smirk. *_Don't need those. He likes me bare.*_ That thought sent another shiver down her spine and made heat pool in her core as she quickly pulled her clothes on. She snagged a jacket out of the hall closet then scooped up her phone and small wallet, stuffing them into the jacket pockets as she headed for the elevator.

XX

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XX

He stood at the door of his flat and pulled the blanket back from the window just a bit, careful not to let any of the light touch him. *_Soddin' sun._ _Shouldn't have wandered around so long.* _He closed the blanket and walked into the small kitchen, put some groceries in the fridge then turned and opened a cupboard. The hinges groaned faintly and he stood there, his hand grasping the handle and a small smile on his face as he seemed to look through the door. *_God, the sounds she makes. Never get tired of hearin' that.* _His tongue slipped out and licked his lips. *_And she tastes so good.*_ He shuddered and let go of the handle then looked down at himself. *_And I'm stuck here all day with a ragin' hard-on. Bollocks.*_

He reached down to adjust himself then started pulling what was left of the food Dawn brought over out of the cupboard and stacked it the bag. He pulled a blood bag from the fridge and poured it into his mug then set it in the microwave. While it was heating, he grabbed his duffel from behind the couch and started stuffing his clothes and things into it then brought the bag of groceries over and upended it into the duffel.

The microwave beeped and he pulled out the mug then walked around his tiny flat sipping his blood and looking for anything he might have missed. *_Think I got everythin'. Just need to get the Jack out of the freezer and the food out of the fridge and I'm packed.*_

He stared down at his not even half full duffel bag and dropped down into his chair. *_Pitiful. Everythin' I own in the world doesn't even fill up a soddin' duffel bag. 'Course, I left all my things in SunnyHell. My car, God, I loved that DeSoto! My books, everythin'. Guess I'll have to start again.* _He leaned back in the chair and smiled. *_Start again with Dawn. Least I've got the bob to take care of her now. I'm a soddin' millionaire. Bloody Hell.*_

His smile turned to a frown when another thought crossed his mind. *_Never even thought to ask if she __**wants**_ _me to move in with her. She didn't actually __**ask**__ me to or anythin'. Maybe she doesn't.*_ He looked at the duffle bag again and scowled. *_Well, least it won't take me long to unpack if she doesn't want me to.*_

He finished off his blood then set the mug on the table and settled further into the chair. *_Guess I'll catch some kip and wait for the sun to set.* _He licked his lips again and his eyes drifted shut. *_So bloody good.*_


	11. Chapter 11 Cleaning

Not Long to Wait

Ch 11 – Cleaning

She knocked lightly on the door and listened. Nothing. *_Wonder if he's even here? He might've got caught out somewhere else.*_ She was about to unlock the door when she had an idea. She tried the knob and it turned easily in her hand. *_He's here.* _She swung the door open and stepped inside, closing it quickly to keep the sun out. She slipped out of her jacket and hung it on a hook next to the door then turned around and saw him. He was crashed out in his chair with a duffel sitting open on the floor next to his feet. She walked over and peered into the bag, seeing his clothes, a few books and food. *_He's leaving?* _She shook her head and put on her resolve face. *_Like hell he is.*_

She looked down at him and smiled as she noticed the prominent bulge in his pants. She walked around to the back of the chair and bent down to gently lick his ear. He growled low in his chest and murmured, "Dawn."

She slid her hands down his chest as she nibbled on his ear and neck. He turned his head slightly to give her better access and she smiled against his neck and gently sucked. She popped open the buttons of his jeans and pulled him out, flicking her thumb across the tip. His hips bucked slightly and he moaned low in his throat. She slowly stroked him as she whispered in his ear, "So big. Love it, Spike. Love what you do to me."

His started thrusting his hips against her hand then quietly whimpered when she let go and moved around to the front of the chair. She lifted her skirt and carefully kneeled over him then reached down and guided him into her. She sank down onto him with a loud moan and his hips thrust up as his eyes flew open. He moved his hands to her hips and ground into her as he whispered, "It wasn't a dream. You're really here."

She smiled and leaned down to kiss him hard. "I am." She moaned and gripped his shoulders as she rode him. His hands slipped under her shirt and slid over her breasts, pinching and squeezing, then he lifted her shirt and brought a breast to his mouth, sucking hard. She moaned and pressed closer to him as she moved faster. They were both panting as his hands moved back to her hips and he lifted and slammed her down until she couldn't form words. "Ah… Spi… ye… ye… ye… ah… Spike!" She threw her head back as she screamed his name. He thrust up into her again and his whole body tensed as he let loose with a loud roar. She collapsed against him and they both sat there panting. When she had her breath back she sat up and beamed a smile down at him then said, "Good morning."

He pulled her to him and nuzzled her breast through her shirt. "Bloody good mornin'. A fella could get used to wakin' up like that."

She pulled his head away from her breast and nodded toward the bag on the floor. "So, where you going?"

He ducked his head and looked embarrassed when he muttered, "Oh. Uh… well… thought maybe I'd move in with you, but then I realized that you haven't actually asked me to, so… I uh… was just… um. Nowhere. I'm not goin' anywhere."

She lifted up his head and leaned in to place gentle kisses to his forehead, cheeks and nose before she settled on his lips. He deepened the kiss and held her to him until she had to break away to catch her breath. "God, you're good at that." She wiggled her hips and smiled when he gasped. "You're good at a lot of things."

She gently traced the scar on his eyebrow with her fingertip as she smiled at him. "Spike, can I ask you something?"

He nodded, "Of course, kitten."

She brushed the hair back from his face. "Would you move in with me?"

He smirked, "Hmmm. Have to think on that for a bit. Do I really want to give up my posh bachelor pad? Where will I have poker night with the strippers from down the club?" She smacked him on the arm and he yelped, "Ok, ok! You've convinced me." He pulled her close, "I'd love to move in with you, pet."

XX

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XX

She was leaning against the kitchen counter nibbling on some crackers when he walked in and dropped his mug in the sink. "The flat's as clean as it's gonna get, luv. Can't believe you had me clean the place. Not like I signed a lease or anythin'."

She smirked, "Perils of being a good person, Spike. You don't leave things a mess when you move on. Do you think your landlord will throw a fit over the hole I punched in your fireplace?"

He laughed, "Doubt it. He hasn't been down here that I'm aware of since I moved in. Don't think he'll even notice."

"Well, I'll leave some money anyway so he can have it fixed."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, nuzzling against her neck, "Whatever you want, luv."

He lifted her up and sat her on the counter then reached down and slid his hand under her skirt. He trailed his fingers up her leg to her core and gently slid them inside then growled, "So wet for me, kitten." She moaned and gripped his arms as he thrust and worked her with his thumb.

He leaned in and kissed her deeply as she slid her hands down to the bulge in his pants. "Want you in me, Spike, please." He reached down and popped the buttons of his jeans then pulled her forward, groaning as she slid onto him. He hooked his arms under her knees and lifted her then turned and pressed her against the wall next to the fridge. He thrust deeply and she cried out, "Oh God, Spike! Right there!"

He pulled out almost all the way then slammed into her fast and hard as he groaned, "So tight, luv. So hot."

She had her hands tangled in his hair holding his head tight against her neck as his hips pounded against her. "Oh… my… God… Spike… feels… so…. good." She turned his head and pressed his mouth against her neck as she tensed. "Spike… bite… please… God… don't… stop."

He released his demon and sank his fangs deep into her neck as he buried himself in her heat. She screamed and fisted his hair as she came harder than she ever had before. He drank deep then threw his head back and roared as he spent deep inside her. He thrust a few more times and collapsed against her then gently licked the bite closed as she quivered and shuddered beneath him. He kissed slowly up her jaw to her lips then pulled back and looked at her. "You ok, pet?"

She opened her eyes and smiled dazedly at him. "Yeah. I'm good. You are a sex god, has anyone ever told you that?"

He laughed, "No, you'd be the first. You want me to put you down, luv?"

She shook her head, "Don't think my legs are working right now. Can you carry me over to the couch?"

He pulled her close and pushed away from the wall then walked over to the couch and lay down, still buried deep. She ground against him and shuddered then laid her head on his shoulder. "Today was a good day. One of the best I've ever had. Thank you, Spike."

He reached up and gently tucked a few strands of stray hair behind her ear, "For what, kitten?"

She stacked her hands flat on his chest and propped her chin on them, "For being here. For being you."

He smiled, "You're more than welcome, luv. This was the best day I've ever had, too. Thanks."

She slid her hands under his arms and laid her head on his shoulder then murmured against his neck, "You're welcome. Love you, Spike."

He trailed his hand along her back and whispered, "Love you too, Dawn," as they both drifted off to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12 Gang

Not Long to Wait

Ch 12 – Gang

They had loaded Spike's stuff into the trunk of the cab and were waiting in line inside the store so Spike could turn his keys over to the clerk. Dawn was standing in front of him with her hands behind her back as she rubbed and squeezed him through his jeans. He moaned as he wrapped his arms around her and whispered against her neck. "Wait 'til I get you in that cab, luv. Gonna make you scream."

They stepped forward and Spike nodded at the clerk over Dawn's shoulder. "Movin' out, mate. Here's my keys. Left some dosh on the kitchen counter to cover any damages." The clerk nodded, wearing a look on his face that said he just might've hit the jackpot. Spike scowled and let the demon out. "Make sure Rick gets it, you hear? If he doesn't, I'll find you and have me a snack."

The clerk gulped and nodded again without the jackpot look. Spike leashed the demon and smirked. "Good. Catch you later."

They climbed into the back seat of the cab and Spike pushed Dawn over to the driver's side while he sat in the middle. Dawn gave the driver her address and he took off. Spike turned her slightly so that she was leaning into the corner, then brought her leg up and draped it over his lap. He could smell how ready she was as she looked at him and licked her lips. He leaned over toward her as he slid his hand up her leg. "Can smell how much you want it, luv. Always ready for me."

She moaned and raised her hips as his fingers slid into her and slowly started thrusting. He curled them slightly to hit that special spot deep inside and she gasped loudly then buried her face in his shoulder as his thumb joined the party. She was panting and moaning into the leather when her phone rang. She managed to fumble it out of her pocket and flipped it open. "H… Hello… mmm… Hi… ah... ah… Angel." Spike added a third finger and she groaned.

Angel's voice floated up from the speaker, "Dawn? Are you ok?"

Spike took the phone from her as he started pumping faster. "Sorry, Peaches. Dawn's a bit… preoccupied." She moaned and bit the leather on his shoulder.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter. I've got my hand up her quim. What d'you want?" He could feel her starting to quiver and knew she was close. He thrust deeper and pressed harder with his thumb.

"Oh, um, just letting her know that I'm in the lobby of her building."

"Fine. We'll be there shortly. Bye, Peaches." He flipped the phone closed and thrust as deep as he could, skating his fingers across that little bundle of nerves. She clenched then shuddered and screamed against his shoulder. The driver flicked his eyes to the mirror then looked at the road with a grin on his face.

Spike waited until she'd stopped shuddering then quickly worked his hand until she was screaming into his shoulder again. He pulled his fingers out and brought them to his mouth then licked them clean, sighing with pleasure. "Love that taste, kitten." He leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Told you I'd make you scream."

She laughed and pulled him into a kiss. "Cab rides are a lot more fun with you around." She reached down and popped the buttons of his jeans then pushed him toward the door and leaned down.

He growled and leaned his head back against the window as she took him deep into her throat. "Oh God, luv. Yeah, just like that." She moved on him quickly, taking him almost to the hilt on each stroke. He threw his forearm across his mouth and started chewing on the leather, trying to keep his moans and growls muffled. She sucked hard and scraped her teeth along his length then plunged him back in and he grabbed the edge of the seat and exploded as he bit down on his arm to muffle the roar. He laid there twitching for a few minutes while she licked him clean and tucked him back into his jeans. "God, luv. You are a sex goddess. Has anyone ever told you that?"

She laughed and sat back up, pulling him up beside her. "No. You'd be the first. What did Angel want?"

"He's at your buildin' waitin' for us."

The cab glided to a stop at the curb and they climbed out as the driver unloaded the trunk. Dawn leaned down to see how much the fare was and gasped. She turned to the driver and asked, "Why so much?"

He dropped his eyes to the sidewalk as a blush crept up his cheeks, "I… um… drove around the block a few times. You two seemed a little... um… busy, and I didn't want to um... interrupt you."

Dawn blushed as Spike clapped him on the back with a grin, "Ta, mate. It's appreciated." He dug in his pocket and pulled out three hundred dollars then handed it to the driver.

His eyes went wide and he stammered, "Thanks! Hey, if you two ever need to go anywhere just call this number and ask for Randy. Anytime." He handed a business card to Spike as he stepped off the sidewalk.

Spike pocketed the card and nodded. "Will do. Ta, Randy." He shouldered his duffel as the cab pulled away from the curb then bent down and picked up the sack of groceries. Dawn took the bag from him and settled it on one hip then took his hand and led him to the doorman.

"Hi, John. This is Spike, my boyfriend. He's moving in with me."

John shook Spike's hand and said, "Good to have you in the building, sir. Please let me know if you need anything."

Spike smiled. "Actually, mate, I do need somethin'."

"Yes, sir?"

"Please don't call me sir. I'm Spike."

John laughed, "Done, Spike. Welcome to the building."

"Thanks. Catch you later."

They walked through the doors and saw Angel sitting on a couch in the middle of the lobby. He was scowling at Spike as they walked over. "Evenin', Angel. What brings you to our fair city?"

Angel stood and growled out, "You. Obviously."

Spike stepped forward and growled back. "What about me?"

Dawn put the bag of groceries on the floor near Angel's feet then stepped between the snarling vampires and put a hand on each of their chests, pushing them apart. "The testosterone circus can wait until we get upstairs. Spike, I need you to come with me over to the desk."

He dropped his duffel to the floor as he glared at Angel then looked at Dawn. "What for?"

"You need to register your thumbprint so you can use the elevator. Otherwise you'll need to have me with you to get upstairs."

"Oh. Lead on then."

Angel looked from the duffel on the floor to the bag of groceries next to it and his mouth dropped open. "He's moving in with you?"

Dawn spun and glared at him. "Later, Angel."

They walked over to the desk and Dawn got Spike squared away so he could get upstairs then they walked back over to Angel, collected their things and headed for the elevator. Spike pushed the button then leaned back against the wall as the doors closed. Dawn stepped close and leaned back against him. He nuzzled her ear and whispered, "Our last lift ride was a lot more fun."

She laughed and pressed herself closer to him. "Maybe next time."

Spike wrapped his arms around her and nodded at Angel. "Oh, seein' the poof reminds me. Giles rang yesterday. Angel tattled on us."

Dawn sighed and looked at Angel. "Couldn't just leave well enough alone, could you?"

Angel looked at her with concern. "I'm worried about you, Dawn. Spike's a killer. He can't be trusted."

Dawn's eyes flashed green and she clenched her jaw. "Spike is not a killer, Angel. He hasn't killed anyone since he got the chip and especially not since I turned it off. And I trust him. He'd never hurt me."

"He hurt Buffy."

"She hurt him more."

"I am standin' right here, you know."

Dawn smiled and turned in his arms. "I know." She kissed him long and deep. "I love you."

"Love you too, kitten."

Angel growled under his breath as the doors slid open. They walked into the living room and Spike continued on to the kitchen to unload his duffel. Dawn followed him with the groceries and unloaded the bag into the fridge. "Spike, you're gonna need more blood. You've only got six bags left and with Angel here we're gonna run out. Where have you been getting it?"

"Butcher about two blocks from my old flat." He unloaded his armload of Jack into the freezer then walked up behind her and whispered in her ear, "We could take another cab ride to get some."

Angel pulled a soft-side cooler from his bag and put it in the fridge. "I brought my own, but thanks."

Spike growled, "Poncy git is always ruinin' my fun."

Dawn laughed, "Let's get Angel set up in a guest room then I've gotta grab a shower and get to work."

Angel glared at Spike. "Dawn, we need to talk about this."

She looked at him and sighed tiredly. "We will, Angel, but I only want to do this once so we'll wait until the rest of the gang gets here. They're wasting their time, though. I don't care what any of you have to say about it. Spike and I are together. Period. You guys are just gonna have to deal. I'm not Buffy and I'm not gonna let anybody control my life. My choices are just that… mine."

Spike's eyebrow went up. "Gang?"

"When will they be here, Angel?"

Angel sighed and looked at his watch. "In about four hours."

"Who's coming?"

"Everyone."

She nodded and started walking toward the hall, "Your room is this way." She led him down the hall and opened the door to a small bedroom. "I'll put Faith and Robin in that one, Giles over there and Willow in the room at the end of the hall. Xander will have to crash on the couch. Goodnight, Angel."

She turned and walked back down the hallway, heading for her bedroom. Spike moved to follow her then looked down at Angel's hand gripping his arm. "Do you love her, William?"

Spike met Angel's eyes and nodded, "Yeah. I do. And don't call me William," then shook off Angel's hand and followed Dawn.


	13. Chapter 13 Not Harmless

Not Long to Wait

Ch 13 – Not Harmless

Spike walked into the bedroom with his duffel slung over his shoulder and dropped it next to the bed on his way into the steamy bathroom. The huge shower took up one corner of the large room and had clear glass doors and a bench. *_Bloody hell, that shower's almost bigger than my old flat and who needs a soddin' bench in a shower?*_ Dawn was standing under the huge shower head with her head tilted back letting the hot water sluice over her. She looked over and smiled at him as he approached then said, "Strip."

"Yes, ma'am." He smiled and toed his boots off then stripped out of his clothes. He opened the shower door and was almost parboiled by the wall of steam. "Jesus, Bit. Think it's hot enough? You're gonna burn your skin right off." She grinned and turned it down just a touch then pulled him under the water. She grabbed a bottle of shampoo and squirted some on his head then started massaging it through his hair. He wrinkled up his nose at the scent. "What is that? Smells poncy."

She laughed, "It's lavender. It's supposed to calm you and make you sleep better."

He growled. "I'm gonna smell like a nancy-boy and who said I was going to sleep?"

She pulled him under the water and rinsed the soap out of his hair. "Well, I'm going to work and you said it wasn't a good idea for you to be there, so I figured you'd stay here and sleep."

"You don't have to go to work, Dawn. I'm flush, remember? I'll take care of you."

"I don't want to take your money, Spike. I can take care of myself."

He laughed, "I know you can, luv, but what am I gonna do with it? Buy a mansion and prance around in ruffles and a cape like Dracula? Poncy git."

She backed up and gave him an appraising look then smiled, "I don't know, I think you'd look pretty sexy in ruffles and a cape." She leaned in and kissed him. "You really don't want me to strip anymore, do you?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't. I don't like the thought of other blokes seein' you in the altogether. Makes my demon want to start tearin' 'em up, but if you really want to, I'll deal with it. I don't wanna tell you how to live your life, kitten. I'm just happier 'n a pig in shit that you've let me along for the ride."

She smirked at him, "You do have a way with words, Spike." She backed him up until he was sitting on the bench then adjusted the shower head so it was raining gently down on him. "I'll quit. I didn't really like it anyway, but it was the easiest way I knew of to make money and it fit my schedule. Will you be ok if I work tonight? They'll be short-handed if I don't."

He nodded. "I'll go with you but I'll wait outside. Don't want my demon to take over and start hurtin' the patrons. 'Sides, I should probably pop in across the street and let 'em know I won't be back."

She straddled him and ground against him. "Good. We have a little while until we have to leave. Wanna see if you can make me scream again?"

He leered as he lifted her up and lowered her slowly onto his length. "Love to, pet."

Angel turned down the volume on the TV when he heard something. He got up and walked toward the elevator but it wasn't coming from behind him. He walked back through the living room and the noise got louder. It was Spike. He was growling and grunting. Angel was about to turn around when he heard, "Spike… ah… uh… ye… ye… Spi… ah… ye… Oh… God … don't… stop." He quickly walked back to the living room and turned the volume on the TV almost all the way up but it didn't cover the scream and roar that echoed through the apartment a few minutes later.

X

XXXX

X

He kissed her goodbye at the back door to the club then turned and walked down the alley and across the street. "Hey Tony, how's it goin'?

"Hey John, you were just in last week. Coming back already?"

"Nah. Last week was it. Came into some cash and don't need to work anymore. Alan in tonight?"

"Yeah, he should be in the office. Sorry to see you go, man. You were a real money maker for this place."

"Thanks, mate. Catch you later, yeah?" Spike stepped into the noisy club and headed for the back, ignoring the dancer grinding on the stage.

He walked quickly down the back hall and knocked on the office door. An angry voice called out, "What!"

He pushed the door open and stepped inside. A large man was sitting behind a beat up desk smoking a cigar, and four equally large men were sitting in mismatched chairs scattered around the small room. "Hey, Alan. Sorry to interrupt. Just lettin' you know I'm movin' on and won't be comin' in anymore."

Alan stood and walked around the desk. He moved to put his arm around Spike's shoulders and Spike stepped away. "Sorry. Forgot you don't like to be touched."

_*Yeah, least of all by disgustin' gits like you.*_

Alan backed up a step and puffed on his cigar, blowing a stream of blue-gray smoke toward Spike. "You sure you want to quit? If you don't want to strip anymore, I own an outside interest and would love to have you on the team. Pay is top dollar."

Spike shook his head. "No thanks, Alan. You've been tryin' to recruit me for your _outside interest_ since I started here. I don't do that and I'm not likely to start anytime soon." He moved toward the door. "Be seein' you."

Alan stepped in front of him, blocking the door, and shook his head, "You should've taken me up on my generous offer, John. You know I can't let my best money maker just walk out of here."

Spike crossed his arms over his chest and sneered, "And just how do you plan to stop me?"

"I know what you are."

Spike tilted his head with a smirk, "Yeah? And what am I?"

Alan reached over with the hand holding the cigar and poked Spike in the chest. "A vampire." Alan nodded to the four men and they climbed to their feet and surrounded Spike.

Spike looked around at the four men towering over him and chuckled, "Really. And what bleedin' idiot told you that?"

"Found a vamp out back a few days ago snacking on one of my bartenders. He had an interesting story to tell about my best stripper."

Spike smirked, "Ah, that's nice of you to say. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Get to the point."

Alan poked him in the chest again. "The point is; I also know you've been fixed. You can't hurt any of us or it'll hurt you."

Spike burst out laughing. "Your source hasn't been keepin' up with the latest news and gossip, mate. I could kill you all and it wouldn't hurt me any more than a tap on the shoulder." *_I'm tryin' not to kill humans, you dozy sod. Could I get just a little cooperation on that end? Please?* _

Alan nodded to the brute squad again and sneered, "Prove it."

_*No? Oh well.* _Spike's elbow flew back in a blur of movement and connected solidly with the throat of the man standing behind him. He gurgled and dropped like a stone. Two of the men grabbed Spike's arms and lifted him off the ground. He kicked out his feet and hit Alan square in the chest and he flew back through the door and out into the hall. The force pushed Spike and the two men back onto the desk and one man lost his hold on Spike. He rolled off the side of the desk and Spike jumped to his feet and started for the door only to be spun around by the man still holding his arm.

Spike looked down at the man's hand gripping his arm then looked back up at him and slowly vamped as he snarled, "You might wanna remove that." The man's grip tightened and Spike shook his head and moved. Before the man could blink, Spike was standing behind him holding him in a tight grip with his neck bared and Spike's fangs poised to bite. The man that had rolled off the desk had made it back to his feet and was staring at Spike.

Spike glared at him and snarled, "Back off and your mate lives to fight 'nother day. Keep walkin' toward me and he's dead 'fore he hits the floor." He took another step forward and Spike's head whipped down and tore the man's throat out. He shoved the bleeding body away and it crashed into the man advancing on him and they both tumbled to the floor. *_Oi! That'll show you who's __**fixed**__, you great bloody oaf.*_ Spike wiped the blood from his chin and headed for the door.

He stepped through the door and his entire body clenched as the taser prongs embedded deeply into his back. *_Bloody hell! Forgot about the fourth git.* _He pitched forward and landed on Alan who was still sprawled out on the hallway floor.

Alan pushed him off with a grunt and sat up clutching his chest. "You idiots get out here and get him shackled before he wakes up. Put him in the trunk of my car then get back in here and clean up this mess." He got to his feet and stumbled back to his desk then collapsed into his chair. "Oh, and dust that fucking vamp that told me he was harmless."

The man with the taser pushed the dead man off his buddy then hauled him to his feet. They stepped out and roughly hoisted Spike up between them and started dragging him down the hall. Alan picked up his phone and yelled at them as he was dialing. "Don't damage him! I can charge more if he's unmarked!" He put the phone to his ear. "I've got a good one just come in. Should bring in a lot of high-paying customers. Meet me at The Ranch in half an hour; we can put him to work as soon as he's conscious."


	14. Chapter 14 Kidnapped

Not Long to Wait

Ch 14 – Kidnapped

Dawn stepped out of the club into the alley and glanced around looking for Spike. *_Hmmm. Maybe he's waiting on the street.* _She walked to the end of the alley and looked up and down the street. *_Wonder where he is? He said he'd be waiting outside.* _ She saw Tony manning the door of the club across the street and walked over to him.

"Hey, Tony."

He pulled her into a hug, "How's it going, Sunny?"

"Good. Have you seen Sp... um I mean John? You know, White Boy?"

Tony smiled. "So you did know him."

She nodded. "Yeah. I've known him since I was fourteen and we kind of lost touch several years ago when he left town. Nobody knew where he'd ended up and I've been looking for him for years. So have you seen him?"

Tony nodded and held his finger to his lips. He stepped inside the club and pulled another bouncer out to man the door then took Dawn's arm and led her around the corner of the building. "Yeah, he was here about an hour ago. Um, Sunny, I have some bad news for you. I saw Alan's thugs loading him into the trunk of Alan's car."

Dawn latched onto Tony's arms. "Where are they taking him and why? And who the fuck is Alan?"

Tony looked around, checking to see if anyone was watching, then whispered, "It's a brothel called The Ranch. Alan owns it. I'm not sure where it is but it's close. They cater to _exotic_ tastes. Mostly sick fucks that like to rape and torture people."

Dawn gasped. *_Oh God, Spike!* _She backed up a few steps and glared at Tony. "How do you know so much about this place?"

He held up his hands. "Hey, I'm not like that. I only know about it because Alan had me work out there for a week a month or so ago when one of the regular guys was in the hospital. One of the workers got loose and clocked him in the head. If John is what I think he is then he's in a world of trouble."

"What do you think he is?"

"I don't want to scare you but, I think he's… a vampire."

Dawn nodded. "He is and you're gonna help me find him. Let's go." She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the street then hailed a cab. They climbed into the back seat and she gave the driver her address then turned to Tony.

She was about to speak when he blurted out, "You knew about John being a vampire?"

"Ok, his name's Spike, my name's Dawn and yes, I know he's a vampire."

Tony goggled at her. "And that doesn't freak you out? That he was fine when he left and now he's a vampire?"

She put her hand gently on his arm. "Tony, Spike's been a vampire for over a hundred and twenty years. How do you know about them?"

His mouth hung open for a minute then he snapped it shut. "Um, from working out at The Ranch. Vampires are the only workers at that house. You're not a vampire, are you?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm… something else. I'll explain it to you later. Why do they only use vamps? And what do you mean _that house?_"

"Alan owns another house that's just a basic brothel. He's been trying to get Jo… uh… Spike to work out there as long as I've known him. They only use vampires at The Ranch because they can take whatever the clients dish out without dying. Once the client is finished you just fill 'em full of blood and they're healed in a few days and ready for more."

Dawn's face screwed into a scowl. "That's disgusting. Why are you still working for these people? You don't seem like the type to go along with something like that."

"I didn't know anything about The Ranch until Alan took me out there, in the trunk of his car no less, so I couldn't find it on my own later. I stuck around because I've been trying to get more information so I could maybe do something to get that place shut down. I was going to try to find it in the morning when it's slow out there and try to get Spike out."

"Can you tell me anything about where it is? How long did it take you to get there? Did you hear anything or smell anything that might give me a clue?"

"It's about twenty minutes or so from the club. Oh, and it's near train tracks. I could hear train whistles. He's got guards on every floor and one in the cell block. I could probably move around in there pretty easy since I know most of the guards but they're gonna know you don't belong there."

"How many floors?"

"There's three floors above ground for client rooms and the workers are kept in cells in a basement under the parking garage. I never saw the outside because Alan took me in through the underground garage and the guards kept me from going outside, but I think it used to be an apartment building or a hotel."

"Well that's something anyway. Spike's strong. He'll hold out until we can get there."

"Dawn, I'm pretty good in a fight but you're tiny. Those guards are huge and they're not gonna just let us walk him out of there."

She smiled. "I'm a lot stronger than I look and hopefully it won't be just us. I've got friends coming to town in a little while; I just hope I can talk them into helping Spike, he's not exactly their favorite person." The car pulled up to the curb and she handed the driver several bills then opened the door. "This is us. Let's go."

She walked into the lobby with Tony following her and ran into Angel coming out of the elevator. "Where are you going, Angel?"

"The lobby. Everyone should be here soon. Who's this?"

"Tony. Spike's been kidnapped. As soon as the gang gets here we need to go get him."

Angel shook his head. "I don't think they're going to be up for a rescue. Especially for Spike. They're all coming here to remind you how dangerous he is and to try to talk you out of being with him."

"And I already told you that's a waste of time. Jesus Christ, Angel, when are you going to realize he's changed? Do you think it was easy for him to live surrounded by humans with that chip in his head? Humans have been hurting him since before he left Sunnydale. And he took it. Do you know how many beatings he's endured because of that fucking chip?"

Angel sat down on the couch and ran his hand through his hair. "No, I didn't know."

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "You didn't want to. Because it's Spike. Nobody thinks he can change because he doesn't have a soul. Well he can. He did. Do you have any idea how many vampires are in this town? I've been dusting vampires here for six months and haven't even made a dent. He's been here for years. A town full of fledges, a Master Vampire and no Slayer. He could've ruled this place."

Angel sighed, "I'm sorry, Dawn."

"Sorry doesn't help Spike. Help me get him back and then we'll talk about sorry."

X

XXXX

X

Spike slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He was sprawled on a metal cot in a tiny, dark cell. He lifted his hand and heard the clink and rattle of chains. *_What the hell?* _He looked down and saw that his wrists were shackled and a chain connected them to the shackles on his ankles. *_Oh this is bloody fabulous. Where the hell am I?*_

He sat up and got to his feet then shuffled to the door and peered through the bars. There was a row of tiny cells running the length of the hallway and he could smell them. Vampires. Every creature down here was a vampire. The cell across from him was empty and he couldn't see very far into the ones next to it, but from what he could smell, there must be around ten vampires in the cells. *_They're all fledges.* _He sniffed deeply. *_Oldest one is maybe three years._ _Is this more Initiative shit? I'll dust 'fore I let 'em chip me again.* _A door at the end of the hall scraped open and he shuffled quickly back to the cot and lay down, pretending to be asleep.

His cell door squeaked open and two pairs of boots clomped loudly over to the cot then he was jerked roughly to his feet. "Wake up! You've been out long enough. Time to earn your keep."

_*Earn my keep? What the hell is he talkin' 'bout?* _Spike opened his eyes as one of the men snapped a collar around his neck. The one holding him pushed him against the wall and backed up then took something from the other man. He held it up and pointed it at Spike.

Spike reached toward the collar and asked, "What's this?" The man pushed his thumb down and Spike howled and dropped to the floor, writhing in agony.

The man smiled and sneered. "Protection." He walked over and squatted down next to the crumpled vampire. "You make any kind of move I don't like or touch the collar and I'll hit you again. Got it?" Spike looked up at him and nodded shakily. "Good."

_*Bit will find me. She knows I went to the club. Hopefully she'll figure it out. And I hope she beats Alan to a bloody fuckin' pulp in the process.*_

The man unlocked the shackles and handed them to the other one then hauled Spike to his feet and stripped his duster off, tossing it onto the cot. "Take off your boots."

Spike toed his boots off and kicked them under the cot then stood quietly. *_Just gotta hold on 'til she gets here. Be good, Spike, don't do anythin' to make the git angry. Might need to fight my way out of here and I need to be conscious for that.* _The other man took his arm and dragged him out of the cell and down the hall.

He counted ten vampires on his way out of the cell block. Three of them were as close to death as a vampire could get without being dust. One was kneeling on his cot having a conversation with the wall. *_Completely barmy. Reminds me of Dru.* _Three of them were lying on their cots bloody and beaten as they sobbed and begged for the end. The rest were just standing at their cell doors quietly watching Spike being pulled down the hallway.

As he passed the last one on the row he barely made out what he whispered through the bars, "Welcome to hell."

They stepped into the elevator and the man with the _protection_ pushed the button. There were only five: One, Two, Three, G and S. *_Three floors, a garage and a sub-basement. They're takin' me to the third floor. Could maybe break a window and jump. I'd survive a three story drop. Need to know if the sun's up first. Too deep in the buildin' to sense the time.* _Spike cleared his throat and asked quietly, "Could you tell me what time it is, please?"

Pain sliced through him and he howled as he dropped to his knees. He was hauled back to his feet panting and the man growled in his face, "It's time for you to service a client and that's all you need to know."

The doors slid open and he was dragged down the hall and thrown into a room. He stumbled and went to his knees then looked up and gasped. It was a torture chamber. He gazed around at the various instruments hanging on the walls. Most of them were covered in dried blood. *_Huh, haven't seen anythin' like this since the Nazis.* _The man hauled him to his feet and pulled his shirt over his head then held him while the other one lifted his arms and locked his wrists into shackles hanging from the ceiling. They let him go and he dropped just enough for his feet to barely touch the floor.

One of the men reached for the buttons of his jeans and Spike automatically kicked his legs out then arched and howled as the other one set the collar off. "Stop fucking moving!" Spike hung limply as the man stripped his jeans off and tossed them into the corner next to his shirt.

He was facing away from the door; looking around at all the instruments on the walls, when he heard someone else enter the room. One of the men who'd brought him here said, "Trussed up just like you asked for, sir. Here's the remote. Just hit this button if you need to… um… give him a correction."

A deep gravelly voice said, "Thank you. Just leave it on the table there and get out." The two men scrambled for the door and closed it behind them.

Spike heard the slithery leather sound of a whip being unfurled and gritted his teeth. *_This is gonna hurt._*

The voice said, "Let's get to work, shall we?"

The screams echoed down the hallway.


	15. Chapter 15 Guns Don't Kill Vamps

Not Long to Wait

Ch 15 – Guns Don't Kill Vamps

Xander jumped to his feet and shouted, "He tried to rape Buffy! He deserves whatever they're doing to him! He deserves it!"

Dawn was across the room in a flash and had Xander pinned to the wall before anyone had even noticed she'd moved. She snarled, "If I ever hear you say anything like that again, I'll beat you like Buffy used to beat Spike, only you won't survive it." She let him go and turned to face the group. "Nobody deserves what they're doing to him. Nobody." She turned and pushed him against the wall again. "You act like Buffy was all hearts and flowers and puppies who wouldn't hurt a fly. You don't know the things she did to him. She tortured him. And she enjoyed it. I am so fucking sick of hearing about Saint Buffy and how evil Spike was to her. It's bullshit. All of it. And it has absolutely jack and shit to do with what's happening to him now."

Faith spoke up, "He's a killer, Dawn. He doesn't have a soul. Now that you've killed the chip, what's stopping him from killing us all?"

Dawn glared at her. "Right now it's the fact that he's a prisoner who's being tortured and raped. The people doing that to him have souls. All the people that hurt him when he was defenseless had souls. Buffy had a soul. Having a soul doesn't mean shit. He hasn't killed anyone since I disabled the chip, hasn't even wanted to and he's had plenty of opportunities."

Giles nodded, "He brought up a valid point when I spoke to him the other day. The chip prevented him from killing with his own two hands but it didn't stop him from engaging someone to kill for him. He could have had us all killed and he didn't. I've spent the entire flight over thinking about this and… I think he deserves a chance."

Willow nodded, "He took Buffy's beatings when he could've fought back." Dawn tilted her head and looked at her quizzically. "Yes, Dawnie, I know how she treated him. I'm not blind. I saw the bruises. I also know the chip didn't work on her. He could've stopped her or fought back, but he didn't. I didn't realize it until after he was gone and now I'm sorry that I didn't do something to stop it."

Xander walked over and dropped back down into his chair. "You people are all crazy."

Angel growled at him, "No, we're not crazy. We're realistic. You need to get over this blind idol worship of Buffy and even blinder hatred of Spike. The world isn't black and white, Xander. It's not that clean cut. Buffy and Spike have both done good and bad things, but you gloss over Buffy's bad deeds and exaggerate Spike's. Yes, he's a vampire. Yes, he's killed thousands of people because that's his nature, that's what vampires do. But he stopped. He hasn't killed for years, chip or no chip. He loves Dawn and she loves him. If Dawn means anything at all to you, you'll help her. You'll help him."

Willow glared at Xander. "And what about Anya? You had no problem sweeping all the men she'd tortured and killed under the rug. You refused to hear a bad word against her and you made us accept her even though she'd killed people for a lot longer than Spike. And she did it with a soul! Explain to me how Spike is any less worthy of our friendship."

Xander sputtered, "Wils, I can't believe you felt that way about Anya. I thought you liked her."

"I did like her, Xander. She was trying to change, to become something different. Spike was too but nobody gave him credit for that. If Buffy had pushed us about Spike like you did about Anya then we might have seen it, but she was too busy beating the shit out of him and telling us what a monster he is."

Dawn stepped to the middle of the room. "We're wasting time. We can shout and scream about all of this after we get Spike back. Now who's with me?"

Willow raised her hand and Angel nodded. Giles said, "I'll help."

Faith said, "I'm in. Let's get him back and give him a chance. If he fucks it up then I'll dust him."

Dawn looked at Robin. "You haven't said anything, Robin. Are you in or out?"

He nodded. "I don't know him, but if Faith's in then I'm in."

Everyone turned to look at Xander. Dawn crossed her arms over her chest and said, "So? In or out."

He looked at his toes and mumbled, "I'm in." He looked up at Dawn. "But I'm not doing it for him. I'm doing it for you."

She nodded, "Thank you," then stepped over to Tony and pulled him out of the chair. "Everyone, this is Tony. He's the one who told me about Spike being taken and he's agreed to help us get him back."

Tony smiled nervously at the group. "Hi. Um, not to be rude or anything, but I don't think we're going to be much of a match for Alan's guards."

Angel laughed, "Think you've got that backwards, Tony. We may not look like much but we're a force to be reckoned with. Alan's guards aren't going to know what hit them, but first we've got to find the place. Willow, can you do a locator spell?"

Willow nodded. "Dawn, do you have anything of Spike's here?"

Dawn nodded and jogged to her bedroom, returning with one of Spike's t-shirts. "Will this work?"

Willow nodded. "Now I need a map." Dawn rummaged through the desk and pulled out a rumpled map.

Willow gathered up Spike's shirt and the map and called over her shoulder as she headed out of the living room. "I'll be back in a few minutes. My supplies are in my room."

Tony whispered to Dawn. "Spell?"

"Yeah, Willow's a witch. One of the most powerful in the world."

Angel stood. "Did anyone bring any weapons? I've already got mine."

Tony looked him up and down. "Where? I don't see anything."

Angel vamped and snarled, "See them now?"

Tony gasped and backed up a step. "Uh, yeah. Nice."

Dawn walked over to a large chest in the corner of the living room and lifted the lid. "I've got just about anything we'll need." She pulled out a sword and a dagger then walked out of the living room as the rest of the group got up and headed over to the chest.

Tony goggled at the chest full of daggers, swords, axes, and stakes and shook his head. He watched Xander pull out a battle axe and spin it around a few times while Robin and Faith both grabbed swords and stakes. Giles took an axe and clipped a dagger to his belt. Tony muttered under his breath. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

Xander reached into the chest and pulled out a dagger then handed it to Tony. "Here, you need a weapon. You want a sword or something?"

"Uh, no. Never fought with weapons before, I'm more of a brawler." He nodded around to everyone hefting weapons and strapping sheaths to themselves. "You guys act like you do this kind of thing all the time."

Xander nodded. "Willow and I have been fighting demons and vampires since we were in high school. We've fought a Hell God, the First Evil, a government built Frankenstein's monster made out of demon parts, Angel when he didn't have his soul, the mayor who turned into a huge snake, and tons of other demons. We've even fought Spike a few times. It's what we do."

Willow walked quickly into the room holding the map and shouted, "I found him!" She laid the map out on the coffee table and pointed to a small dot. "He's there."

Tony peered at the map. "It's an old hotel. I've been by there like a hundred times! It's pretty much the only building still standing in that area."

Angel said, "Can you get us in without being seen?"

He nodded. "Yeah. We just have to drive into the garage like we're showing up for an appointment. There's clients coming and going all the time. The garage isn't guarded but we'll run into a guard as soon as we get to the lobby."

Dawn walked back into the living room holding a pistol. She flipped the safety on and dropped it into the holster strapped around her waist then pulled its twin from the opposite holster, checked the safety and dropped it back in. She was wearing tight black jeans and a long sleeved black shirt. Her hair was in a long braid down her back and she had the sword in a sheath strapped to her back and the dagger strapped to her thigh. She walked over to the chest and grabbed three stakes then tucked them into her belt. "Let's go."

Giles sputtered, "Guns? Since when do we fight with guns?"

Dawn turned and glared at him. "We're going up against humans this time, Giles, not demons. They probably have guns."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, they have guns."

Xander snorted, "What kind of idiots keep vampires prisoner with guns? Guns don't kill vamps."

Tony looked at him. "That's why. They can bring them down without killing them or getting close enough to be hurt. A pile of dust doesn't bring in any money."

Dawn gazed around at the entire group. "I'm getting him back and I'll kill anyone or anything that gets in my way."

Giles frowned, "These are humans, Dawn. We don't kill humans."

Dawn lifted her chin defiantly, "I don't give a shit. They're scum and they deserve to die. I don't care that their victims are vampires. Nobody deserves to be treated like that. It's wrong and they're gonna pay."

Giles said, "I don't think I can go along with that, Dawn. They deserve to be punished but it's not our place to decide what that punishment is."

Dawn stepped in front of Giles and looked him square in the eye. "You think the cops are gonna care that a bunch of people were torturing vampires? They don't even admit that vampires exist. They're not gonna be punished. Not in the way you'd like. Now, I'm going to say it again. **I'm going to kill them all.** If you can't deal with that then get out." She looked at each person in turn and said, "That goes for the rest of you too. If you're having a problem with my decision then get the fuck out of my apartment and don't come back. I'm doing this with or without you."

Nobody moved or spoke for several minutes then Xander asked, "How are we gonna get there? Don't think a cab is gonna pick us up when we're armed to the teeth."

Angel smiled. "I drove up. We'll take mine."


	16. Chapter 16 It Isn't You

Not Long to Wait

Ch 16 – It Isn't You

The whip cracked across his back again and he screamed. Again. He'd tried not to for the first several strikes, didn't want to give the git the satisfaction, but this sod is experienced. He knows just how to strike to cause the most pain.

The client paused and stepped close to Spike then ran the handle of the whip across the raw and bleeding stripes crisscrossing his back. "Looks good, if I do say so myself." Spike hissed and tried to pull away as a rough edge caught on the flayed skin. He heard the whip slither to the floor with a thump then the whistle of a fist moving fast through the air. A solid punch landed directly over his kidney then the other fist plowed into his ribs. A third punch knocked all the air from his lungs and he hung there, trying to suck air and not getting any.

The client chuckled then started whistling as he walked over to the wall and moved back and forth, perusing the implements hanging there. Spike finally managed to get some air into his lungs and croaked through the pain in his throat, "Think you've roughed me up right nice, mate. What say we call it a day? I'm sure you have places to be and all that."

The client walked over to the door then walked over to stand in front of Spike. He was taller by about a foot and looked down at Spike with an unreadable expression. "As much as I paid Alan for this session we aren't even half done. He asked quite a lot for you. Said you were the strongest one he had. He wasn't wrong. All the others I've had would've been begging me to kill them by now. That's no fun. No fun at all. Distracts from the work."

Spike growled, "I don't beg, so don't be expectin' that." *_Do your worst, you sadistic fuck. I can take it.*_

The client pulled something from his pocket and held it up. The remote. "Should I or shouldn't I? I much prefer the hands on method, but the guard did say I should use this to give you a correction. I didn't give you permission to speak and I think that needs corrected." He pushed the button and Spike howled as his body clenched in pain. The client released the button and Spike dangled limply. "Don't speak again."

Suddenly the client's right fist connected with Spike's left eye, whipping his head back in a neck-cracking snap. Spike pulled his head upright just in time for the other fist to smash into his right eye. His head flew back and when he righted it again, he couldn't see. Both eyes were bloody and puffed shut. He heard the client walk back over to the wall and pull something from it then walk toward him again, slapping it against his palm. It sounded heavy. The client stopped in front of him and Spike could hear the sneer in his voice. "Time for a little target practice. What would you like me to hit first?"

Spike shrugged as best he could with his arms over his head. "Your show, mate."

"Apparently you don't learn very quickly." Out came the remote and again Spike howled and clenched in pain. The button was released and the remote pocketed. Spike relaxed and panted as he blearily braced himself for the blow he knew was coming, but it still caught him by surprise. He screamed as something smashed into his left knee, shattering his kneecap.

White hot bolts of agony shot up his leg and pooled in his belly, writhing and twisting. He brought the demon out and the pain lessened a bit as he hung there panting and waiting for the next strike. *_Probably belt my other knee. Looks like I won't be walkin' very far for a bit. Oh well, guess I'll have a bit of a lay about. Maybe catch up on some Passions while I heal.*_

Spike was wrong about the location of the next strike. Very wrong. He heard the meaty thunk of something hitting him but it didn't quite register until the pain exploded in a white hot flame. He tried to draw enough air to scream, but all he did was make a faint whistling noise as his legs pulled up toward his middle. Bright flashes of light started to swirl behind his swollen eyes as a molten ball of pain settled into his low belly and started throbbing. He had one thought. *_Bloody buggerin' fuck!* _Then everything went dark. His legs dropped and he hung limply from the shackles. The client looked at him and scowled as he tossed the implement away then walked toward the other wall to select something else.

Spike came to slowly. The first thing he noticed was the throbbing of his bits and the leaden ball of pain still sitting in his belly. The second thing was the smell of blood. His blood. He was covered in it. He could feel it dripping into his eyes and down his chest, back and both legs. He could hear it pattering on the floor beneath him. He tried to take stock of his wounds but there were too many to pick out very many individual ones. There were a few large cuts on his legs that were making themselves known, but mostly it was his knee, ribs and dangly bits that were screaming the loudest. His ears were ringing from repeated blows to the head and his throat was in such agony from the screaming that he'd be hard put to whisper at this point.

Spike felt more than heard the client step close to him. His fingers traced over the cuts on Spike's chest and he murmured, "Some of my best work. I am upset that you passed out though. I do work better with a little feedback, but all in all, I like it."

He dug his finger into one of the deeper cuts on Spike's chest and frowned when Spike didn't even whimper. *_Take more than this to break me, you bastard.* _Spike screwed his battered face into a sneer and managed a whisper, "I've been tortured by the best, mate, and let me just say, it isn't you."

The fingers dug deeper and Spike just smiled. The client pulled back and punched him in the ribs then pulled the remote and pushed the button. He held it down for a long minute as Spike's body locked into an arch and the pain tore scream after scream from his throat. He released the button and placed the remote back on the table by the door then walked over to Spike and released him from the shackles.

Spike dropped to the floor in a heap and just laid there twitching and panting as the client walked to the other side of the room. *_Hopefully that's it. I've had seven shades of shit beat out of me and my throat is so wrecked I don't think I'll be able to even whisper for a while, but I'll heal. Dawn will find me and get some blood in me and I'll be right as rain. I can do this.* _ He turned his head slightly toward the noise coming from the other side of the room and sneered. *_Then I'm gonna find you and fuckin' drain you drier than the bloody Sahara. I've got your scent, mate. I'll find you.*_

The client walked back over to Spike and roughly hauled him to his feet then dragged him across the room and bent him over a table. *_Oh bloody hell, what now?* _His wrists were shackled to the corners and his ankles were shackled to the legs. The cool metal was soothing against his battered body as he rested his cheek against the table and tried to breathe, his broken ribs making that almost impossible.

He could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness again when the client pressed against him and leaned over to whisper in his ear, "Now that work is finished, the fun can begin." Spike's mind went blank with terror and revulsion and he struggled weakly against the restraints as the client pushed in with a violent thrust.

Spike could still scream after all.


	17. Chapter 17 The Better Man

Not Long to Wait

Ch 17 – The Better Man

The building didn't look like much at first glance, just an old abandoned hotel. When you looked closer though, you noticed things. Like all the windows were bricked over, the front door had bars across it and there were cameras mounted on the corners and over the garage entrance.

Angel pulled into the garage and parked next to the elevator. There was nobody moving in the garage and only four vehicles besides Angel's parked there. Tony opened his door and climbed out. "This is the quietest part of the day. Most of the workers should be in the cell block." He led the way over to the door and punched a code into a key pad. The door slid open and he let out the breath he'd been holding. "Wasn't sure my code was still good. Thought Alan might've deleted it after I left. Guess he's a bigger idiot than I gave him credit for."

They piled into the elevator and Dawn stood in front of the door and drew both pistols. She screwed a silencer to each barrel then thumbed the safeties off and said, "Let's go."

The doors opened on a dark and foul smelling hallway. Dawn whispered, "Angel, do you see anyone?"

He vamped and looked around. "No. There's ten vampires in the cells down here but I don't smell Spike. He was here though, I can smell his duster. It's still down here."

Dawn whispered to Tony, "Where's the guards? You said there were guards down here."

"They're probably taking one of the workers to a client room. They get them set up in the room then wait outside or wander around until it's time to bring them back down here."

Angel was standing in front of the first cell looking at the vampire lying on the cot. He turned and said, "We should put them out of their misery. Most of them are asking us to kill them, well, the ones who can still speak, so let's do it."

Tony said, "The guards have the cell keys. How are we going to get in?"

Dawn holstered her pistols as she stepped to the cell door. "Me." She held her hand over the lock and a green light flowed from her palm and the door swung open. She handed Angel a stake then moved down the row, opening the cells that contained a vampire so Angel and Faith could step in and stake them. Not one tried to run or fight back. The last one on the row said "Thank you," as the stake pierced his heart.

Dawn found the cell with Spike's duster in it and gathered it up then grabbed his boots from under the cot. "Tony, which floor would he be on?"

"I don't know. It depends on which clients are here, they all have their favorite rooms. From the number of workers still down here I'd say we're only looking at one, maybe two clients in the building right now."

Dawn took off the sword and shrugged into Spike's duster then strapped the sword back on. "Tony, you carry his boots and hang back. I've never seen you fight so I don't want to risk you if we don't need to. You know what? Scratch that. Tony and Giles, I want you to go back to the garage and kill anything that tries to get past you, in or out, human or not. Can you do that?"

Tony said, "Hell yes."

Giles nodded but didn't say anything.

They piled back into the elevator and Dawn pushed the button for the garage, "We'll hit all three floors at once. Angel and I will take three, Robin and Faith will take two, Xander and Willow will take one."

The doors opened on the garage level and Giles and Tony stepped out. Tony was putting Spike's boots in the SUV as the doors slid closed.

The doors slid open on the first floor and Dawn quickly scanned the room. There was one guard on either side of the elevator door but neither one was looking at the elevator. They started to turn as she stepped between them and raised her pistols, blowing both their heads off. They hit the floor with meaty thuds and she stepped back into the elevator. "Check every room. If you find him, get him to the car and we'll meet you there. Oh, and kill anything that isn't Spike." Willow and Xander were entering the first room on the hall when the doors slid closed.

The doors slid open on the second floor and the one guard happened to be looking right at the elevator. His eyes got wide and he started to raise his weapon then one of his eyes was gone, along with the back of his head, and he was slumped on the floor, bleeding all over the carpet. Robin and Faith stepped over him and headed for the first room.

The doors slid open on the third floor and Angel said, "He's here somewhere. I can smell him." There were two men sitting on the floor in the middle of the hallway. They started getting to their feet as Dawn and Angel sprinted toward them. Angel released his demon and barreled into one man, knocking him flat before he buried his fangs in his neck. He whipped his head back, violently ripping out the man's throat, then stood up and watched him bleed out.

Dawn pulled the dagger from its sheath as she ran toward the other man. He had just gained his feet when she crashed into him. He flew backwards and landed in a heap and she was on him in an instant with the blade pressed against his throat. "Which room?" The man blinked at her and opened his mouth but nothing came out. She put pressure on the blade and he whimpered. "Which fucking room?"

He whispered, "322."

"Thanks." She smiled as she plunged the dagger into his eye, burying the tip into the floor beneath his head. She stood and walked down the hall looking at room numbers while Angel just stood there and gaped at her.

She stopped in front of room 322 and was unsheathing the sword when Spike suddenly started screaming from inside the room. She kicked the door in and darted into the room with the sword raised and ready to strike. What she saw sent her into a blind rage. Spike was shackled to a table, bloody and screaming while a huge dark haired man violently raped him. The man's head whipped around as the door crashed in. Dawn dropped the sword as she flew across the room and wrapped her fist in the man's greasy hair then threw him back into the wall. He bounced off and stumbled right into her fist. The blow knocked him back into the wall and he slumped to the floor. Dawn wrapped her hand in his shirt and jerked him to his feet then threw him toward Angel. "Hold this fuck. I'm gonna kill him." Angel gripped the man's arms and held him steady as Dawn turned to Spike.

His eyes were swollen shut and he was in full game face but he'd stopped screaming and was just lying there trembling. *_Oh God, I hope this didn't break him. He made it through all that other shit, hopefully he's strong enough to get through this.* _He was covered in whip marks and bruises and dozens of cuts and other wounds that she couldn't identify the cause of. She gently touched his cheek and said quietly, "Spike, it's me." He whimpered and tried to pull away. *_Shit, I should have gotten here sooner!* _She leaned down and gently kissed his temple then whispered, "I'm here, Spike. I'm gonna get you loose. Hold on for me, okay?" He froze for a moment then nodded slightly. "You're gonna be ok. I love you, Spike and you're gonna be ok."

She stood up and looked around for the keys to the shackles. There. On the table next to Spike's hand. She grabbed the keys and unlocked his wrists then knelt down and unlocked his ankles. She picked him up as gently as she could and laid him on the table then shrugged out of the duster and covered him with it. She leaned down and kissed him gently then whispered, "I'll be right back. Gotta go kill someone." She started to turn and he reached out and snagged her arm then pointed to the collar around his neck. She leaned in close and asked, "What the hell's that?"

Spike mouthed, "Like the chip." He pointed toward the door and she saw a small black box lying on a table. She walked over, picked up the remote and examined it then walked back over to Spike and looked closely at the collar. She gently unclipped it from around his neck and held it up. "Hmmm, this has possibilities."

She walked over to the dark haired man and stood in front of him holding the collar. "You like to hurt vampires, huh?" The man just stared at her with wide eyes and she nodded over her shoulder at Spike. "Well, you've hurt the wrong vampire. I love him and I've killed for him and now I'm gonna hurt you. For him." The man started to whimper and looked toward the door. Dawn shook her head. "We've already killed everybody in the building so no one's coming to help you."

She took his arm in a steel grip and dragged him over to the huge puddle of blood below a hanging set of shackles. She raised his arm and locked his wrist into one of the shackles then stepped back a little, leaving the other arm loose. He immediately reached up and tried to free his wrist. While he was occupied, she quickly wrapped the collar tight around his genitals and locked it in place. He froze as he realized what she'd done and dropped his hand. He was inching it toward the collar when she pushed the button on the remote.

His entire body clenched and his legs drew up toward his middle as he released an ear-splitting scream. She released the button and his legs dropped back down and he hung limply from the shackle, panting and shaking. She walked back over to Spike and knelt down so she was at eye level. She gently traced the ridges on his forehead and whispered, "I know you can't see it, but I've wrapped the collar around his junk. Does that work for you?" He fumbled for her hand then clasped it and nodded. "Good. Here you go." She pressed the remote into his hand then got up and sat on the table near his head.

Angel walked over to stand next to Dawn. She looked at him and asked, "Do you have a problem with this?"

He shook his head. "Spike deserves revenge for what's been done to him. I say let him have it. We'll be the only ones who know about it."

Dawn nodded. "He's had things like this happen to him before and he couldn't fight back because of the chip. A few days after I found him we ran into a guy that had raped him. He was gonna do it again but Spike fought back and bit him, but didn't drain him. I told Spike he was the better man because he let the scum live. Now I think he's the better man either way."

She gently ran her fingers through Spike's hair as he pushed the button.


	18. Chapter 18 It Looks Bad

Not Long to Wait

Ch 18 – It Looks Bad

"Angel, you carry him out. I'll take point in case we missed anyone." Angel wrapped the duster around Spike as gently as he could and picked him up. Spike hissed in pain then passed out as they walked out of the room. They got back into the elevator and stopped on the second floor. Dawn stepped out and yelled, "Robin! Faith! You guys still down here?" Silence. She stepped back in and they headed for the first floor. Dawn called out for Willow and Xander, but didn't get a response.

The doors opened on the garage and they saw everyone standing in a group beside the SUV. "Somebody get the back open. We need to get Spike out of here." Willow yanked open the back doors and Angel gently laid Spike down on the floor. "Did you guys find anyone else?"

Faith said, "Nope. There wasn't anyone on two."

Willow shook her head. "Nobody on the first floor, either."

Xander walked over to the back and looked down at Spike. He lifted the edge of the duster and stared as all the color drained from his face. He dropped the duster and backed up then turned to Dawn with a look of horrified anger on his face. "Please tell me you killed the bastard that did that to him."

She nodded at him with a thoughtful look on her face. "Yeah, he's dead." Xander nodded then stumbled over behind a nearby car and she could hear him retching.

Tony put his hand on Dawn's arm. "We need to burn this place to the ground or Alan's just gonna keep going."

Dawn nodded and looked around the group. "We can do that. Anybody got any ideas?"

Xander stood up and shakily wiped his sleeve across his mouth. "Is there a kitchen?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah. Gas stove, too. I think I see where you're going with this. Let's go."

Tony and Xander got in the elevator while everyone else climbed into the SUV. Dawn crawled into the back with Spike and curled herself around him, holding him as close as she could without hurting him more. He winced as she wrapped her arm over him and whispered, "Knew you'd come for me."

She kissed him gently on the ear and whispered, "Yeah. I love you, ya goof. You're not gonna get away from me that easy. I gotta say your choice of vacation destination leaves a lot to be desired, though. There's no pool." He chuckled then winced. "Try not to move, Spike. Just hold still until we get you home, okay?" She held her forearm to his mouth. "Feed. You need the blood. Take as much as you need."

He nodded and bit gently into her arm, pulling a few mouthfuls. He licked the bite closed and smiled. "Thanks, kitten."

She frowned down at him, "Don't you need more? You didn't take very much."

He whispered as he slipped into unconsciousness, "Don't want to hurt you, pet."

The elevator doors opened and Xander and Tony sprinted toward the SUV and jumped in. "Go!"

Angel slammed his foot to the floor and they sped out of the garage and down the street. They skidded to a halt about three blocks away and turned to look back at the building. Suddenly it shook violently and the front door and most of the windows on the first floor blew out. Smoke and flame poured out the front door and leaked out the windows.

Dawn turned toward the front of the vehicle. "That should do it. This place is far enough out that even if anyone notices the fire, it'll be too late by the time the fire department gets here. Let's get Spike home."

X

XXXX

X

"Angel, pull around back into the garage. My back elevator is over in the far west corner and we can get Spike upstairs without being seen. Management might have a problem with us carrying a bloody naked man through the lobby."

Angel lifted Spike out of the vehicle and carried him to the elevator. It was too small to fit much more than two people so it took four trips to get everyone upstairs. Dawn reached in and hit the button with her thumb then ducked back out before the doors closed for each trip. She squeezed in with Willow and Faith on the last run.

Dawn ducked into her closet and took off her pistols then removed the dagger sheath from her thigh. *_Damn, forgot to get my dagger back. Oh well. Not like I don't have more.*_ She tossed the sheath into the corner then walked into the bathroom to see Angel talking quietly to Spike. Spike was slumped on the bench in the shower leaning against the wall. She walked up behind him and carefully took the duster off him then handed it to Angel. "Thanks, I've got it from here. Could you warm him some blood in a little while? Pig's blood will do for this feeding but he's gonna need human if he's gonna heal."

Angel nodded and called over his shoulder as he left the bathroom. "I'll take care of it."

Dawn turned on the shower then gently started sponging the blood off Spike. He hissed and winced as the water slid over his wounds. "Sorry, Spike. I don't mean to hurt you, but we've got to get you clean or you won't heal right."

He nodded and whispered, "S'ok, luv. I want to wash that bastard off me. Think I can stand if you help me."

She pulled him up and helped him wash. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face into her neck as she gently cleaned him. "Thought killin' the chip would keep things like this from happenin' to me. I can take a beatin', it's the other..."

She stopped washing him and just held him for a minute. "I know, Spike, but you're stronger than you realize and you'll be ok. I knew you could hold out until we got there, but I am sorry I didn't get to you sooner. I should've just gone by myself as soon as Willow found you, not waited for everyone else."

He lifted his head away from her neck and whispered, "Red found me?"

"Yeah. She did a locator spell."

She could see how much it hurt him as he whispered through the pain in his throat. "Why? Thought they all hated me. They're here to try to get you to leave me, aren't they?"

"I thought so, but Willow, Faith, and Giles think you deserve a chance to prove you've changed. I'm not quite sure about Angel, but he killed a guard and didn't stop you from killing your rapist, and he yelled at Xander about blindly hating you, so, yeah, he's probably on your side."

"And Harris?"

She shrugged. "Not sure. He asked me if I'd killed the guy that did this to you, and it was his idea that blew up the building, but I'm not sure how he feels about you. I don't really give a shit either way. You're mine and nothing anybody says is going to change that."

She finished cleaning the blood off him then helped him sit down and turned off the shower. She stepped out and grabbed her robe from the hook on the back of the door then draped it over him. "Can you walk out to the bed?"

He nodded faintly. "I think so." She lifted his arm over her shoulders, snagging a towel from the rack on their way by, then half-carried him to the bed.

She helped him sit on it then gently patted the towel over his legs as she looked over his injuries. "Most of these cuts aren't very deep but there are a few bad ones. I'm gonna bandage those. God, your knee is really swollen and I think the kneecap is broken."

Spike whispered, "Yeah. Shattered is probably closer to the truth."

She moved around behind him and slipped the robe off his shoulders, letting it pool around his waist and across his lap, then winced at the numerous whip marks criss-crossing his back. "Jesus, Spike." She lightly touched what looked like the worst one then drew her fingers back sharply when he hissed and pulled away. "God, I'm sorry. Should I bandage these or just leave them?"

The pain in his hoarse whisper made her heart hurt. "I'll need my ribs wrapped, so that'll take care of bandaging most of the cuts and whatnot on my back and chest."

"Ok. Hang on, I'll be right back." She went into the bathroom and walked out with a large first aid kit then set to work bandaging his legs. He winced a little when she put pressure on his legs to pat the tape down then yelped loudly when her arm brushed across him. She froze and looked up at him. "What is it, Spike?"

He whispered faintly, "M' lad. Wanker hit me with somethin'. Does it look bad? Hurts like a bitch."

She gently lifted the robe away from him then gasped loudly and clapped her hand over her mouth. He was discolored and hugely swollen and she could see the mark imprinted on him from whatever he was hit with.

He reached out tentatively until he found her shoulder then grasped it tightly. "I take it from your gasp that it looks bad."

Her response was a strangled whisper, "Yeah, it looks bad." She leaned up and wrapped him in a gentle hug. He wrapped his arms around her and they sat like that until his ribs started feeling neglected and made themselves heard. He hissed as he shifted a little and she let him go. "I'm gonna need some help to wrap your ribs unless you can hold your arms up for me."

He shook his head and whispered, "Don't think I can, luv."

"Ok. Just hold on a little longer." She walked to the door and hollered for Angel.

He stepped into the room and blanched when he saw Spike's pale skin covered in welts, cuts, and bruises. Dawn was focused on Spike and missed the guilty expression that quickly crossed Angel's face.

"Angel, can you hold his arms up so I can wrap his ribs? Looks like four or five of them are broken."

Angel lifted Spike's arms and held them while Dawn wrapped a bandage tightly around his torso and clipped it closed. "Ok, let's get you laid down." She carefully helped him lie down and pulled the blankets over him then kissed him gently. "I'm gonna go get you some blood. Be right back."

"Thanks, kitten. I love you."

"Love you too, Spike."

Angel left the room as she quickly stripped out of her wet clothes and pulled on some dry ones. She walked out to the kitchen and Angel handed her two mugs of blood then picked up two more and followed her back into the bedroom. She sat down next to Spike and put the mugs on the table then lifted him up and leaned him against her. She handed him a mug then ran her fingers through his hair, smoothing out the tangles.

He drank down the first mug in a few swallows and gasped. "This is Slayer blood!"

Angel smiled. "Yeah, you've got two mugs of Faith, a mug of me, and a mug of Xander."

Spike turned his head towards Angel's voice. "Harris? What'd you do, knock 'im out and bleed 'im?"

Angel laughed, "No. He offered."

"What? Why?"

Angel shrugged. "Don't know; guess you'll have to ask him. Willow offered, too, but I thought witch blood might be too much right now, so I gave you some of mine."

"Thanks, Angel. For everythin'."

Another look of guilt flashed across Angel's face that he quickly covered with a smile. "No problem, Spike. Just try not to get kidnapped for a while. I've got a lot of contract negotiations coming up in a few weeks and won't be available to rescue your skinny ass."

Spike laughed and winced then whispered, "I'll try to remember that. Thanks again."

Spike drank the rest of his blood then relaxed against Dawn as Angel gathered the mugs and left the room. Dawn held her forearm up to Spike, lightly brushing it across his lips, "Drink. Four mugs aren't enough to replace what you lost."

He shook his head. "Don't wanna take more from you, luv. Don't wanna hurt you."

She kissed his ear and murmured. "It's ok, Spike. I'm strong. Stronger than any of the Slayers. Plus, my blood will heal you faster than Faith's. You can feel it, can't you? The power in it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I can feel it. Are you sure, pet? Are you sure I won't hurt you?"

She whispered, "I'm sure, Spike. I trust you."

He vamped then sank his fangs into her arm. He pulled until his stomach was comfortably full then licked the wound closed and whispered, "Your blood is so good, pet. Fella could get addicted. I can feel it workin' already."

She smiled. "Good. Now rest." She held him, running her fingers through his hair and murmuring under her breath until he fell asleep. She continued holding him for a long time, just watching him sleep, then slid out from under him and got him settled on the pillow. She walked to the door then stood and looked at him for a few minutes before she turned off the light and walked out to the living room.

She walked over to Xander and wrapped him in a hug then whispered in his ear, "Thanks for the blood, Xan." He blushed and smiled.

She saw Spike's duster lying over the arm of the chair and walked back into the kitchen. She came back out with a wet cloth, picked up the duster and dropped down onto the couch. She started wiping the blood off as she looked around the room. "Thanks for helping me get him back." She looked at Faith. "And thanks for giving him your blood."

Faith nodded. "No problem."

Robin pinched the edge of the duster and lifted it slightly. "What's this?"

"Spike's coat. We used it to wrap him in and it's got blood all over it."

"Where did he get it?"

Dawn stopped cleaning the coat and looked up at Robin. "He took it off your mother, but you already knew that, didn't you?"

Robin flinched back and glared at Dawn. "Yes, I know he's the vampire that killed her. And you saved him."

She returned his glare with one of her own. "Yeah. I love him and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. He's not the same man that killed her, Robin."

Faith put her hand on Robin's arm. "What happened with your Mom was a long time ago. Slayers kill vampires and vampires kill Slayers. That's how it is."

Xander nodded. "Spike is different now. He's trying to be a good man."

Five heads whipped around to stare at Xander. He smiled shyly and shrugged. "Hey, I'm allowed to change my mind."

Willow nudged him. "I knew you'd figure it out sooner or later."

Robin looked around the room at everyone and amped his glare up few notches. Dawn noticed the look and said in clipped tones, "Am I going to have a problem with you, Robin? If you're going to try to take revenge on Spike for your mother then you need to get out, because I won't allow it."

He looked at her and swallowed then shook his head. "I won't do anything to him."

Dawn nodded, "Good. I just got him back and I'm not gonna lose him because of something that happened over thirty years ago." Dawn started cleaning the coat again and everyone jumped when Spike screamed.


	19. Chapter 19 Bossy

Not Long to Wait

Ch 19 – Bossy

Dawn dropped the coat as she jumped to her feet and sprinted for the bedroom. She burst through the door with Angel hot on her heels, flipped on the light and skidded to a halt next to the bed. It was empty. The blankets were in a tangled heap on the floor and Spike was nowhere to be seen.

Angel whispered, "He's in the bathroom," then turned to the group that had gathered in the doorway. "Dawn and I will handle this." He closed the door and followed Dawn into the bathroom.

Spike was sitting in the corner of the shower behind the bench. He was trembling with his knees drawn up and his arms wrapped around them. Dawn walked into the shower and knelt in front of him then reached out and gently touched his arm. "Spike?"

He shuddered then raised his head and faced toward her. "Dawn?" His voice was raspy and hoarse, but at least it was above a whisper, and she could see tiny slivers of blue and white through the swelling around his eyes. He looked around slowly and saw Angel standing behind Dawn. "Why 'm I in the loo?"

"I don't know. What happened?"

He shook his head and dropped his forehead onto his knee. "Nightmare, I guess. Don't remember much, just tryin' to get away from somethin' and lots of pain."

"Well, let's get you back to bed. You're gonna freeze to death sitting in here." He looked up at her then tilted his head and smirked. She laughed as she realized what she'd said. "Or not." She gently pulled him to his feet then draped his arm over her shoulders and helped him walk slowly out to the bedroom. She stopped him in the middle of the room and walked around him, looking at his injuries, then helped him sit down in the chair next to the bed. "You look a little better. How do you feel?"

He shifted in the chair and winced. "Like I've been put through a meat grinder. I'll heal, pet. Just take a few days."

She picked up the blankets and remade the bed then pulled Spike to his feet and helped him back into it. "I'm gonna go get you some blood. Be right back." She leaned down and kissed him then headed for the kitchen.

He raised his head and glanced over at Angel who was leaning against the wall next to the door. "Get an eyeful, Peaches? That's twice now you've looked me over. Bringin' back some memories?"

Angel frowned as he nodded, "You look like shit, Spike. I've never seen a vamp take a beating like that and not turn feral. You look even worse than some of the times Angelus… uh… How'd you do it?"

Spike shrugged then winced. "I was out cold for most of it. Took the whippin' and the knock to my knee, but the smash to m' lad knocked me right out. Felt like he hit me with a bleedin' sledge hammer. He did most of the cuttin' and whatnot after that. Thought it was over when he unlocked me and let me drop but then he..."

"I know, Spike. I was there."

Spike's head fell back against the pillows as he sighed, "If you hadn't found me when you did, I don't think I'd have made it. I'd have gone completely sack of hammers. 'S not like I haven't been buggered against my will before." Angel flinched and dropped his eyes guiltily to the floor as Spike clenched his hands into fists. "But when it's bloody humans doin' it and me not able to do a soddin' thing to stop 'em." He took a deep breath and unclenched his hands. "Glad it was you and Dawn found me. Don't think I could handle any of the others seein' me like that. Thank you."

Angel flinched again at the 'thank you' then walked over and sat in the chair next to the bed. "You're welcome, but I didn't really do much, it was all Dawn. She killed four people. Shot three and drove a dagger through the eye of the last one, smiling while she did it."

Spike's head flew off the pillow and he grimaced as he yelped, "She killed humans?"

Angel nodded. "Yeah. Without hesitation. I think if she were turned and left without her soul, she'd be more vicious than you and I put together, and that's saying something. The collar thing would've never occurred to me, even as Angelus."

Spike smiled just a little. "Yeah, that was inspired. Talk about the punishment fittin' the crime."

Angel chuckled, "Yeah," then his gaze turned serious. "I'm pretty sure she's going to go after the guy that owns the place."

Spike growled, "Alan? Well good on her. He deserves to die. Painfully. I'd like to be there to help her, but if she can't wait then that's fine by me. As long as he's dead."

Angel nodded. "If she wants to go before you're able, I'll go with her."

Spike smiled. "Ta, mate. She told me you killed a guard. How're you handlin' that? Soul burnin' you?"

Angel shook his head and grinned. "No. Soul's fine with it. I was rescuing a member of my family."

Spike tilted his head. "Family? You haven't called me that for ages."

Angel shrugged. "You weren't around. Why didn't you come to me after you left Sunnydale? I could've protected you."

Spike chuckled. "Thought you might be a bit put out since I stuck you with hot pokers last time we met. Also thought you'd probably stake me when you heard what I did to Buffy. Or at the very least, chain me somewhere dark and dank and leave me to starve."

Angel shook his head. "Dawn's the one who told me about that when she called me to help find you. I figured you were just looking for someone to remove the chip so you could go back to what you were and start killing again."

Spike looked at Angel with confusion written all over his face. "You told Dawn when you got here that I'm a killer who can't be trusted and now you're sayin' you would've protected me and I'm family. What's changed?"

"You. Obviously."

X

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X

Dawn toed the door open carrying two mugs then walked over to the bed and grinned. "Today, for your drinking pleasure, we have a lovely cup of Willow and Xander, and a delicious cup of Faith."

Spike and Angel chuckled and Spike asked, "You think I'm up for witch blood?"

"Don't worry, we didn't put too much in. Just a taste. Didn't want to take too much more from Xander, since he donated last round, so it's about half and half. Robin flatly refused to give any of his blood and then got upset when Faith gave more of hers."

Spike glanced at the bedroom door. "Does he know?"

Dawn sat on the edge of the bed and handed him a mug. "Yeah, he does. He told me he wouldn't do anything to you, but I don't believe him, so we should be careful while he's here. They're leaving tomorrow anyway, and Faith said she'd try to keep an eye on him. She told me she's satisfied that you're not gonna drain me in my sleep or go on a bloody rampage, but she said to tell you that she'll come back and stake you if you do."

Spike nodded then drank down the blood and set the mug on the table. "Wouldn't expect anything less of the Slayer."

Angel smirked. "What about Giles? He wouldn't give any of his blood?"

Dawn laughed, "Oh, he's not here. He went out to get some tea, how'd he put it? _I have to fetch in some proper English tea, what you have here is rubbish. No offense._"

Spike laughed then clutched his ribs and grimaced. "Sounds like Rupert."

Dawn held up the other mug, "Drink up, Spike, before it gets cold." He took the mug and drank it down in a few gulps and she held up her forearm. "Ok, third helping. Bite, Spike."

Angel chuckled, "She's very bossy, isn't she?"

Spike vamped and bit into Dawn's forearm, pulling several mouthfuls, then licked the wound closed and lifted his head with a smirk, "You have no idea."

Dawn smacked him very lightly on the arm. "Yeah, I am bossy. Now I'm gonna go boss everybody to bed. We all need to get some sleep and I need to go down to get Giles when he gets back." She stood and snagged Angel's arm then pointed toward the door. "Angel. Go. Bedtime."


	20. Chapter 20 Pain Pills

Not Long to Wait

Ch 20 – Pain Pills

Spike rolled slowly onto his back and hissed in pain. Dawn lifted her head and whispered, "You ok?"

He took a few slow breaths. "Yeah, just my ribs. Go back to sleep, pet."

She moved closer to him and gently draped her arm low over his stomach. "Is this ok? I'm not hurting you, am I?"

He laid his hand on her arm and squeezed slightly. "No, luv. It's fine. Just don't move it any lower. M' lad's still a bit sore. I'm just havin' a hard time findin' a comfortable position."

She sat up and flipped on the lamp. "I just remembered I've got some pain pills. They're kinda old, but they might help. Can vampires take pain pills?"

He nodded. "Yeah, just have to take a lot more. Why d'you have pain pills? Thought you were almost indestructible."

She laughed, "Yeah, operative word here being _almost_. A gang of vamps managed to break my leg pretty bad a year or so ago. I dusted 'em all, but a concerned citizencalled the cops and I ended up in the emergency room. The doc wanted to do surgery, but I told him just to set it and let me go. He didn't like it, but he put me in a cast and gave me a scrip for Darvocet. My leg was healed in a just over a week, so I only ended up taking two or three. You should've seen me trying to cut the stupid cast off without slicing my leg to ribbons. Daggers and swords don't work very well for that kind of thing."

Spike chuckled, "Yeah. Maybe you should get some kind of saw or somethin', just in case."

She smiled. "I did. I gave up on the sword and went to Home Depot. Got a great deal on a small reciprocating saw. Also got a strange look from the clerk when he asked me what I needed to cut. He thought I was crazy." She got up and went to the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later with a glass of water and a bottle of pills. "How many? The bottle says to take one every six hours."

"Give us four to start out. If that doesn't work, then I'll try a couple more." She shook out the pills and handed them to him with the glass of water. He grimaced as he swallowed them down and she reached over and softly stroked his cheek.

"Are you ok?"

He nodded. "I will be. It's just my throat is still raw from all the screamin'. Hurts like a mad bastard to swallow."

She dropped down on the bed next to him and took his hand. "God, Spike, I'm so sorry."

He pulled her closer and touched his forehead to hers, "S'not your fault, pet. You got to me as fast as you could and besides, you had no way of knowin' what kind of bloke Alan was. Hell, I worked for the sod for years and I didn't even know. He didn't find out I was a vamp 'til the other day. Probably why he didn't snatch me sooner. I'm just grateful you were here. If he'd nicked me earlier, probably would've dusted me or driven me round the bend."

She growled, "I'm going to kill him. Slowly. Painfully."

He smirked. "Only if you get to him before I do, kitten."

She sat up and rubbed her thumb over the scar on his eyebrow. "We'll do it together."

He smiled and leaned his head into her hand. "It's a date."

X

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He lay on his back with his fists clenched, staring at the ceiling. *_She wants me to give him my blood. That thing. That filthy thing. He killed my mother and she wants me to give him my blood.* _He reached down and pulled out a stake that he'd stashed under the mattress, gripping it in his hand hard enough to make the muscles ache. *_Only thing I'm going to give him is this stake through his filthy heart.*_

He lifted his head and glanced at the door then laid his head back down. *_That sleazy bitch kills humans to save that... that thing! And nobody has a problem with it! They all think it's fine.*_

He sneered as he singsonged in his head. *_He's worth it. He's changed. He doesn't kill anymore.* _He raised the stake and slammed it into the mattress. *_It's wrong. __**He's **__wrong. I wish I'd been the one to find him. I would've __**loved**__ to stand and watch him bleed. Hear him scream. See his pain. The fear in his eyes just before I pound my stake into his disgusting heart.*_

He looked over at Faith, sleeping peacefully beside him, and scowled. *_She gave him her blood. She's a Slayer! She should feel the same way I do, but no! She's accepted him as a friend. She knows what he did to me and she doesn't care. She chose a filthy vampire over her own husband.*_

He lay quietly; listening for any movement or noise in the apartment, then sat up and pulled another stake from beneath the mattress. He stood and pulled on his clothes and grabbed his jacket then looked down at Faith sleeping with her hair fanned out over the pillow. *_Goodbye, Faith.* _He shook his head and moved toward the door.

He slipped silently down the hallway toward the living room and froze as he heard something. *_Just Xander snoring.* _He peeked around the corner and saw Xander sprawled out on one couch with a blanket tangled around his feet, and the new guy, Tony, curled up on the other couch. *_Why is he even here? He lives in this town. Why didn't he just go home?*_

He walked quickly through the living room toward Dawn's room and stopped outside the door. It was shut tight. He placed his ear to it, listening for any movement or noise. Nothing. He slowly tried the knob but it didn't budge. *_Bitch locked the door. Too stupid to realize she's locked the monster inside with her.* _He pulled out his wallet and removed the first card he came to and then quickly slid the card between the door and the frame, jiggling it until the latch was free. He pushed the door open and stepped into the room, pausing as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

He could see them on the bed. Two pale forms against dark sheets. Spike was lying on his back with his arm thrown out over the pillows and Dawn was snuggled into his side with her arm draped over his stomach. He could barely see her chest moving with her breath, but Spike's didn't move at all. *_Just laying there like the dead thing it is. It's about to be a whole lot deader. Look at that slut. Curled up next to it like it's an actual man. She lets that thing touch her.*_

He shuddered as he walked toward the bed, gripping the stake in his fist. He looked down at the sleeping vampire and sneered. *_I hope it hurt, you bastard. I hope that man made you scream and cry and beg for the end. I just wish you could know it's me that's about to stake you. I wish I could see the realization in your eyes just before they turn to dust.* _He raised the stake and took aim. *_Goodbye, Spike.*_


	21. Chapter 21 A Witch Thing

Not Long to Wait

Ch 21 – A Witch Thing

The stake was descending toward Spike's chest when someone suddenly grabbed the arm attached to it. Robin wrenched his arm free and spun around to face his attacker. He tried to make out who it was, but it was just a dark shadow in a room full of dark shadows. The shadow took hold of his arm again and he shouted as he buried the stake in his other hand deep into its chest. He pushed it violently away and it flew across the room, crashing into the wall then slumping to the floor. He turned back around and raised the stake over his head just as Dawn shouted, "Robin! No!"

He shouted back, "Yes! It killed my mother!" He started to slam the stake down and something hit him in the chest. He stumbled back and crashed into the chair, struggling for breath, then staggered to his feet and stumbled back toward the bed.

Xander flipped the lights on to reveal Robin, his face a mask of blind fury, standing by the bed with a stake raised above Spike's bandaged chest. He hurled himself across the room, wrapped his arms around Robin and threw them both into the nightstand beside the bed with a sickening crunch. They rolled off and landed in a heap on the floor.

Dawn leapt over Spike and landed on the floor next to the tangled pile. She reached out and gently untangled Xander, pulling him to a sitting position. "Are you ok, Xan?"

He gingerly dabbed at the back of his head and mumbled, "Yeah."

Angel burst into the room followed by Tony and rushed over to Dawn. "What the hell happened?"

Dawn helped Xander to the chair and looked at his head, then went into the bathroom and returned with a towel. She pressed the towel to the gash on the back of his head then turned to look at Robin sprawled on the floor with her dagger sticking out of his chest. "Robin tried to stake Spike and I stabbed him with the dagger I keep under my pillow."

Xander looked up at Angel. "And then I tackled him."

Willow asked from the doorway, "So who's that on the floor over there?"

Everyone looked at the person lying in a heap by the bathroom door. Angel rushed over and rolled them onto their back then gasped, "Faith."

Willow dropped down next to her and whispered through the fingers clamped over her mouth, "Oh my God, she's been staked! Robin staked Faith!"

Dawn clamped Xander's hand over the towel then rushed over and knelt next to Willow. "Is she dead?"

Angel felt for a pulse in her throat then leaned down and listened for a heartbeat. He looked up and nodded. "Yeah. She's dead."

Dawn reached out and pulled the stake from Faith's chest, looked at it, then let it fall from her fingers. It wrote a red smear on the carpet by her knees. "What do we do now?"

Tony asked in a wavering voice, "You want me to call the cops or an ambulance or something?"

Angel, Dawn, and Xander all said, "No," at the same time.

Willow got to her feet with tears sliding down her cheeks. "I'll get Giles."

Angel leaned over and gathered Faith into his arms. "I'll take her back to her room until we figure something else out. I'll be right back."

X

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Angel walked back into the room with Willow and Giles. Willow had stopped crying, but her eyes were puffy and her face splotchy. Angel had his arm around her shoulders and she turned and buried her face in his chest when she spied the bloodstain on the carpet. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight while she sobbed into his chest.

Giles saw Robin lying on the floor and pulled his glasses off then started polishing them with the corner of his pajama shirt. "Dear Lord."

Xander kicked at Robin's foot. "What're we gonna do with him?"

Dawn got up from where she was still kneeling beside the bathroom door and sat on the edge of the bed then reached over and slowly rubbed Spike's foot that he'd kicked out from under the blanket. "Don't give a shit. He killed Faith and tried to dust Spike. Drive him out on a back road and tip him into a ditch for all I care."

Giles sat down next to Dawn and re-seated his glasses on his nose. "Dawn, I understand your feelings, but we can't do that. He'll be missed. There will be questions. His employer knows he came here to visit you."

"Isn't the Council his employer?"

"No. He's the principal of a high school in Cleveland."

Angel looked over Willow's head. "I'll take him to some back alley then bite him and leave him for the police to find. For all we know, he went for a walk and got attacked."

Dawn got up and pulled the dagger from his chest, wiping the blade on his shirt. "That would work. People here are attacked by vampires all the time. No one will even think twice about it."

Xander nodded at the dagger. "What about the gaping hole in his chest? Won't anyone wonder what that's about?"

Tony shook his head. "Probably not. They'll just assume he was mugged and left for dead and a pack of vampires found him."

Dawn laughed, "Only they'll say it was a pack of dogs or whatever. I don't really care, just please get that piece of shit out of my apartment."

Angel asked, "Do you have an old blanket or something I can wrap him in?"

"Yeah, hold on." She walked out of the room and grabbed a blanket out of the closet in the hall then handed it to Angel. "You can throw that out when you're done." She crawled back on the bed and curled up next to Spike, laying her head gently on his stomach.

Willow walked over to the window, wiping her face with her sleeve, and pulled the curtain back, letting in a sliver of sunlight. "Might have to wait for a little while. It's still daylight out."

Angel said, "I'll be ok. My SUV's in a covered garage and the windows are tempered so I can drive in the sun. I'll just find somewhere in shadow to drop him off."

Xander pulled the towel away from his head and looked at it then pressed it back on. Willow noticed and rushed over to him. "Xan, you're hurt!"

He nodded. "Yeah, cracked my head on the nightstand when I tackled Robin. It won't stop bleeding."

Willow moved his hand and the towel away then held her hand over the gash and started chanting low. A soft yellow light flowed from her palm and sealed the cut. "There you go. All better."

Tony goggled at Xander. "What was that?"

Xander looked up at him. "Willow can heal people. It's a witch thing."

Tony looked over at Spike. "Can she fix him?"

Willow shook her head. "No, it only works on live people. Spike's dead… or undead… whatever. Anyway, it won't work on him."

Xander stood up and hugged Willow. "Thanks, Wils." He turned around and chuckled, "Talk about sleeping like the dead. Fang Boy there slept through the whole thing."

Willow turned and looked at Spike. "Is he all right?"

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, he's just doped up on pain meds. He's got six Darvocets in him. I don't think he'll wake up for a while."

Angel and Xander laid out the blanket then moved Robin onto it and wrapped him up. Angel lifted him and tossed him over his shoulder then said, "Back in a while."

Xander said, "Hold up, Dead Boy, I'll go with you, just let me put on some jeans and you might want to throw on a shirt or something."

Angel looked down at his bare chest and chuckled, "Yeah, might be a good idea."

Dawn sat up and called out after them, "Call when you get back so I can come down to get you. You can use the elevator to get down, but not back up."

Giles said, "I must ring the Council and inform them of Faith's passing. We have to start looking for the next Slayer."

Willow asked, "It shouldn't take too long to find her, should it? We know who most of the potentials are already. How will we know which one's been called?"

Giles frowned. "I'm not sure. Because all the potentials are already at full Slayer strength, I don't know how we'll know the difference. It's going to take a bit of research, I'm afraid."

Dawn looked at Giles. "Well, how does it usually work?"

"Once a Slayer dies, her power is transferred to the strongest potential of that generation. One Slayer likened the experience to being struck by lightning."

"Oh. Well that should narrow it down a little; just ask them all if they've felt anything weird lately. How long does it take for the next one to be called?"

"It varies from as little as a few minutes to as long as a few weeks. It depends somewhat on the state of the world at the time. A world in dire need of a Slayer will have one called almost instantly after the previous one dies. Currently, we're in a somewhat calm period, so it may take a bit longer." He got to his feet. "I really need to make that phone call."

Willow followed him out and Tony snapped the light off as he closed the door. Dawn snuggled up next to her unconscious vampire and gently kissed his neck as she whispered, "I almost lost you again. If it wasn't for Faith, I'd have a bed full of dust." She buried her face in his neck and quietly cried herself to sleep.


	22. Chapter 22 He Needs Killin'

Not Long to Wait

Ch 22 – He Needs Killin'

He opened his eyes and stretched his arms up over his head then winced and hissed in pain as his ribs cracked. He froze and kept still until the worst of the pain had subsided then took a deep breath. *_I smell blood. And it isn't mine.* _He sniffed again and reached for Dawn. His hand found her side and he rolled carefully toward her then wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. "Pet, wake up."

She stirred a little and mumbled, "You ok, Spike? Need more pain pills?"

He nuzzled her neck, "No, not right now. I smell blood in here. What happened? Are you ok?"

She opened her eyes and rolled over to face him. The swelling had gone down around his eyes and they were filled with concern. "Yeah, I'm fine. Robin tried to stake you."

His eyes went wide. "What? When?"

"He snuck in here while we were sleeping and Faith tried to stop him. He staked her and threw her over by the bathroom door then came after you and I stabbed him with a dagger. He got up and was about to stake you when Xander tackled him."

He closed his eyes and whispered, "Is Faith ok?"

She gently cupped his cheek with her hand. "No, baby, she's dead. The stake hit her directly in the heart."

"Bloody hell. It's my fault. I'm sorry."

She rose up on one elbow and took his chin in her hand so she could look him in the eye. "No. It's not. It's Robin's fault. He was a coward that attacked while you were out cold. He could've waited until you were healed and then fought you fair and square, but he didn't. No one is blaming you for anything and you've got nothing to be sorry for."

"Where is she?"

"The Council sent some local people to get her and take her to England. Giles went with her."

"And the Council blokes didn't try to stake me for causin' the death of their Slayer? They had no problem with her dyin' to protect a vampire?"

"They don't even know you're here, and you didn't cause her death, Spike. Giles told them Robin snapped and attacked Faith, which is pretty close to what actually happened, but he made it sound like they had problems in their marriage."

"Where's Robin now?"

"Dead and gone. Angel bit him and dumped him in an alley somewhere so it would look like he'd been attacked by vampires."

"And the Wanker's Council was ok with that?"

Dawn shrugged. "Don't know. Don't care. Angel and Xan were gone with Robin's body before Giles even called them, so I don't think they had much choice in the matter."

Spike smirked. "Has anyone checked to see if Harris is possessed or under a spell? Did he hit his head on something or is he on drugs?"

Dawn tilted her head and looked confused. "Why?"

"'Cause he's done a complete turnaround as far as I'm concerned. He's helped save my unlife twice in as many days and gave me his blood willingly. Thought he was president of the bloody _Let's Stake Spike_club."

Dawn burst out laughing, "No, he's fine. I think he just changed his mind about you. You know, he threw up in the garage when he saw how hurt you were."

"The whelp tossed his cookies over me?"

Dawn giggled, "Yeah, but I wouldn't kid him about it, he might still stake you. You know how guys are."

There was a tentative knock on the door then Willow called out, "Hey, you guys decent?"

"Yeah, Red, come on in."

Willow opened the door and walked over to the bed. "Angel and I are making breakfast, you guys should come eat." She looked at Spike. "Do you feel up to coming out to the dining room or do you want me to bring it in to you?"

Spike sat up slowly and dropped his legs over the edge of the bed, making sure the blankets were still covering him. "I think I can make it out, Red. What're you cookin'? Smells like bacon."

Willow smiled. "Yeah. With eggs and pancakes. You're also gonna get a mug of me and a mug of Xander."

Spike smiled. "Good. I'll pour 'em on my pancakes. Be right tasty."

Dawn and Willow both made a face and Spike chuckled at the stereo, "Ewww, Spike!"

"Oi, don't knock it 'til you try it."

Dawn got up, shaking her head. "Um… no. I'll leave the blood thing to you." She walked over to the closet, grabbed some clothes for Spike and laid them on the bed then looked at Willow. "We should go Spike shopping. He's only got like three shirts and a pair of jeans. Maybe after breakfast we can go out and get him some stuff."

Willow smiled. "That sounds like fun, Dawnie. We could get him some button down shirts; he always did look good in those. Maybe something red. Blue would bring out his eyes."

Spike looked up at her with a surprised expression and she blushed. "What? I'm gay, Spike, not blind.

Dawn walked over to stand in front of him and started running her fingers through his hair, pushing it back off his face. He leaned into her touch like a cat, wearing a large smile and purring low in his chest. "We need to get him some gel or something and a brush. Not that I don't love running my fingers through it but we need to keep it off his face."

Willow nodded. "Yeah, I like the way it looks but it is a little rough. Maybe we could trim it just a little."

Dawn looked up at Willow. "We should get him some black t-shirts, too. He wouldn't look very Spike-ish without them, but we could look at some other colors, maybe something with long sleeves."

Spike chuckled, "Spike is sittin' right here, ladies. I'm quite capable of gettin' my own kit."

Dawn leaned down and gave him a kiss. "I know you are, but you're probably not up for walking very far today and you do need something else to wear. Besides, I haven't been out shopping with Willow in like forever, and since I don't need any more clothes, we'll get some for you."

"Do you birds have enough bob for a shoppin' spree?"

Dawn nodded. "I've got the money I made at the club the other night. That should cover a new Spike wardrobe."

Spike smiled. "You could use my money, if you've a way to get at it."

Dawn nodded. "I've got a debit card for that account, just never used it."

Willow looked at Spike. "You have money? Since when?"

Dawn sat down next to Spike and laid her hand on his leg, "He's a millionaire, Willow. Angel found an account that his Dad set up when he was born."

Spike chuckled, "Ah, so now it comes out. You're only with me for my money."

Dawn leaned into him and slipped her hand under the blanket. "I didn't need you to get the money, Spike. My name's on the account, remember? I couldn't care less about the money, I love you." The hand under the blanket did something that made Spike jump and gasp. "All of you."

Willow blushed and moved toward the door. "Uh, I'll let you guys… uh… whatever. See you out there." She scurried out the door and pulled it closed behind her.

Dawn flipped the blankets off Spike and smiled. "Looks like part of you is all better. Think Little Spike wants to play?"

"Oi! _**Little**_ Spike?"

Dawn laughed, "Ok, ok, how about Spike Junior? Is that better?"

He pulled her into a kiss, "I think I could live with that."

She dropped to her knees beside the bed and took him in her hand, stroking slowly, "You ok with this? I don't want to hurt you." He groaned and nodded and she leaned up and took him in her mouth, laving him with her tongue.

A growl rumbled through his chest as his hands tangled in her hair. "Oh God, luv. You feel so good."

She lifted her head and smiled at him then lowered it and took him deep into her throat. She worked him slow and easy until he was panting and growling low in his chest. She felt him tense, and he released deep in her throat with a low roar. She licked him clean and smiled up at him. "Ready for breakfast?"

He smiled down at her then pulled her up for a kiss. "Yeah, I could eat." He nuzzled her neck and whispered, "Thank you."

She carefully squeezed him in a hug. "You're welcome. I'm glad you're feeling better. You look a lot better."

He nodded. "I don't feel too bad. Mostly just my ribs and left knee."

"Good. Let's get you dressed and out to breakfast. I want to go shopping." She shook out his shirt and helped him pull it on, then slipped his jeans up his legs and pulled him to his feet so he could pull them up. "You want your boots or anything?"

He shook his head. "Nah. I'll just barefoot it today."

"Maybe I'll get you some slippers and a robe while I'm out."

He tilted his head at her and smirked. "Slippers, pet? Vampires don't wear slippers."

She laughed, "You should wear something. Your feet are like ice cubes."

He chuckled, "Wouldn't matter, luv. M' room temperature."

She nodded. "I've got an idea about that." She quickly stripped out of her pajamas and pulled on some jeans and a shirt then brushed out her hair and twisted it into a loose braid. She put his arm over her shoulders and helped him limp out to the table. He took a seat and nodded to Angel and Xander as Willow put a plate of pancakes in front of him and handed him two mugs of blood.

He was pouring the blood over his pancakes to a disgusted look from Xander and an amused one from Angel when Tony walked toward the table from the living room. "That's disgusting, Spike."

Spike's head flew up and he goggled at Tony. "Tony? What the bloody hell are you doin' here?"

Dawn said, "He doesn't want to go back to his apartment in case Alan knows it was him that helped us break you out of there."

Tony nodded. "Oh, he knows. I got a call from the bouncer I pulled out to replace me that night. He heard Alan screaming about seeing me in the pictures from the garage and he's been tearing around looking for me ever since his house burned to the ground. He's got the plate number from Angel's SUV and has been trying to find out who owns it."

Angel laughed, "Good luck with that. It'll come up as Wolfram and Hart in Los Angeles. Even if he finds out that much and shows up, my secretary will probably eat him. She has poor impulse control." He nodded at Spike. "You remember Harmony, don't you, Spike?"

Spike choked on a bloody bit of pancake and sputtered, "Harm? Harmony works for you?"

Angel chuckled, "Yeah. She'd probably be happy to find out you're not dust."

Spike looked up and growled, "Don't you bloody dare."

Dawn laughed, "Don't worry, Spike. I can take Harmony. You're mine... Blondie Bear."

Spike looked at her and scowled. "Don't you start."

Willow laughed, "Can't really call him that anyway. He's not blond anymore."

Xander chuckled, "Yeah, what's up with that, Fang Face? Why aren't you Captain Peroxide anymore?"

Spike looked at him then dropped his eyes to his plate. "Drew too much attention. Third time a bunch of drunken sods picked a fight over my bloody hair, I shaved it off."

"Oh."

Spike looked up at Tony, his eyes flashing amber as he growled, "So Alan knows I'm still around?"

Tony shook his head. "No, he thinks you dusted with the rest of the vamps in the cell block. The bouncer that called me saw the pictures and said you can't really see anyone because of the way Angel parked. It blocked the camera. Also, the camera only takes a picture every six seconds, so it missed us getting in and out of the outfit. The only ones you get a clear look at are me and Giles because we walked around the garage."

Spike smiled. "Good. Soon as I'm healed, I'm gonna go pay old Alan a visit and beat the ever-lovin' shit out of 'im then drain 'im. Might have to dig up a railroad spike somewhere. Been a long time since I used one, might be time to see if I've still got it." He looked around the table at the faces looking back at him. "Nobody's got anythin' to say about that?"

Angel smiled. "I'll go with you."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, me too."

Willow shrugged. "Knock yourself out."

Xander grinned and nodded toward Willow. "Yeah, what she said."

Dawn reached over and squeezed his thigh. "You already know how I feel about it."

Spike reached over to his right arm with his left hand and pinched himself. Hard. "Ok, I'm not dreamin'. You lot are just gonna let me go kill someone? No threats of stakin'? No screamin' about how killin' humans is wrong?"

Everyone shook their heads and Tony said, "Where I come from, _he needed killin' _is a valid defense. He needs killin', Spike."

Spike leaned back in his chair and said, "Huh."


	23. Chapter 23 Proper Mates

Not Long to Wait

Ch 23 – Proper Mates

Dawn stood up from the table and carried her dishes to the sink. "Willow and I are going shopping, so you guys can hang out here and do whatever it is that guys do. Is there anything you want us to get while we're out?"

Angel said, "We could use some blood. I think Spike's healed enough to go back on bagged with supplements from me."

Spike nodded. "Yeah, I'm feelin' pretty spry. Just a few bones need to finish knittin'. The butcher I used is two blocks north of my old flat. Easy to find. He thinks my name's John, though, so that's what you'll have to tell him."

Xander smiled. "Donuts are always welcome."

Dawn walked over and pulled Spike to his feet then started tugging on the waistband of his jeans. Xander yelped, "Woah. Take that somewhere else."

Dawn laughed, "I'm not gonna molest him in the dining room, Xan, at least not while you're here. I'm just checking to see what size he needs." She turned him around and looked for the tag but didn't find one, so she took his hand, led him to the bedroom and closed the door. She pulled the waistband away from his body and looked up at him. "These are a little big on you. Do you want me to get this size or one smaller?"

"This size should be ok, pet. I'm not at my usual weight. Wasn't feedin' regular for a long time."

She nodded. "Well that's gonna change. Please strip them off so I can find the tag."

He popped the buttons and slipped them down over his hips and she knelt in front of him and pulled them off his feet. She dug around inside and said, "Got it," then looked up at him and smiled as she rose up and took him in her mouth. He gasped and his hands flew to her head, then he groaned when her head started to bob.

He looked down at her and his hips started thrusting as he growled, "Yeah, feels so good, pet." She sped up as she relaxed her throat and took him deep, swallowing around him as she moved her head. He arched toward her, his hands tightening in her hair as he tensed and tried to swallow the roar.

He twitched a little and started to wobble so she reached out and grasped his hips as she let him go, backing him up to the bed so he could sit down. He fell backwards and panted, "So bloody good, luv. So bloody good to me." He looked up at her as she sat down next to him. "Sometimes think I'm just passed out pissed in my old flat, dreamin' you."

She laid his jeans over his stomach then bent down for a long, slow kiss. "I love making you feel good, Spike. You're not dreaming. I'm real and I love you." She lifted her arm to his mouth and said, "Time to feed, Spike." He vamped and sank his fangs into her arm, pulled a few mouthfuls, then licked the bite closed. She looked at him with concern in her eyes, "You didn't take much. Are you ok?"

He nodded. "Yeah, just a bit full from the pancakes. You know you don't have to feed me, kitten. I'm fine on bagged."

She smiled. "I like feeding you, Spike. It doesn't hurt me and it helps you."

He frowned. "I know, luv, but you're not just my personal Happy Meal. You're much more than that. You mean a lot more to me than just blood on tap."

She leaned down and kissed him. "I know, but I like taking care of you." She held up her arm to show him that the bite had already healed. "See? Doesn't hurt me at all. It's something I can do for you, and I enjoy it, so please don't ask me to stop."

He nodded. "Ok, luv. You're bloody perfect, you know that?"

She smoothed his hair back from his forehead then leaned down and kissed him. "Thank you. You want me to help you back out to the dining room?"

He shook his head. "Gonna lie here for a mo'. Have fun shoppin'. Love you, Dawn."

"Love you too, Spike."

Dawn was smiling as she walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her. She grabbed her jacket and nodded to the guys still sitting at the table. "Spike'll be out in a little bit." Willow grabbed her jacket and they headed for the elevator. "See you boys in a while. Be good."

The elevator doors closed and the guys sat around the table looking at each other. Finally Xander spoke up, "So, what do you guys wanna do?"

Angel stood and started clearing the table. "Well, let's get this cleaned up then we can figure something out."

Tony and Xander started carrying dishes to the kitchen and Xander grumbled, "Just like the girls to leave and let us clean up the mess." The bedroom door opened and Spike hobbled out and plopped down on a stool next to the kitchen counter. Xander looked at him and smirked. "Checking for your size, huh?"

Angel and Tony laughed as Spike shrugged. "Yeah. Had to strip my jeans off to find the tag and well…"

Xander laughed, "Yeah, we heard."

Spike grinned and looked at Tony. "So, Tony, tell me how you ended up here."

Tony looked up from where he was loading dishes into the dishwasher. "Dawn came over to the club looking for you the night you were taken. I'd seen you being loaded into Alan's car and told her where he was taking you."

Spike snarled as his eyes flashed amber, "You knew about that place? Why the bloody hell didn't you tell me before I went in to see Alan?"

Tony backed away from Spike just a little and stammered, "I didn't figure out you were a vampire until I saw you being loaded. He wouldn't have knocked you out and put you in the trunk unless he was taking you to the Ranch. Finding out you were a vamp kinda freaked me out and by the time I got it together you were gone. I'm sorry, Spike."

Spike relaxed. "It's ok, Tony. Thanks for gettin' in the middle of this and helpin' me out."

Tony walked over to the counter and leaned against it. "No problem. I'm happy that place is finally gone. I've been wanting to get it shut down, but I couldn't find it and nobody would help because they're all afraid of Alan. I've spent weeks driving around looking for the place, but it's kind of hard to find something when you don't know what it looks like."

Xander asked, "So what are you gonna do now? Don't think you can go back to work."

Tony laughed, "Well, I could if I don't want to keep breathing. Alan would probably kill me on sight. My neighbor called a little bit ago and said a couple of huge guys completely trashed my apartment, and the landlord had everything thrown out after the cops left, so now I'm homeless and unemployed."

Spike looked gob smacked as he stammered, "You gave up your entire life to help me? Why? I barely know you."

Tony blushed a little and looked down at the counter. "Because it's wrong, what they were doing out at that place. I couldn't just sit by and let things like that happen when I could help stop it. Plus, I knew you were a good guy, even though you're a vampire. You were always polite and never treated the bouncers like trash, like all the other strippers do."

Xander choked on the water he was drinking and sputtered, "Stripper? You're a stripper?"

Spike smiled. "Was."

Tony nodded and pounded Xander on the back until he'd stopped choking. "Biggest money maker at the club."

Xander stared at Spike then clapped his hands over his eyes and muttered, "Mind bleach. Need mind bleach."

Spike smirked at Xander then turned to Tony. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you like. I'm sure Bit won't mind, but on the off chance she does, I'll get you set up somewhere."

Xander snorted, "You have a nice crypt picked out?"

"No, you berk, I'll pay for a flat wherever he'd like."

Tony shook his head. "I can't let you do that, Spike. It's too much money."

Spike smirked. "Don't worry 'bout it, mate. Got more 'n enough."

Xander yelped, "Since when? I distinctly remember you mooching off me and making me buy your blood 'cause you were broke."

Angel said, "Since I found an old account in London when I was looking for him."

Xander looked at Spike. "You're rich?"

Spike smirked. "Well, I was 'til Dawn left with my debit card. May not be when she gets back."

Xander snorted, "You turned the Dawnster loose with your debit card? As Giles would say, _Oh Dear Lord_." Xander mimed taking off glasses and wiping the lenses with his shirt.

Spike chuckled as Angel walked around to him and held up his forearm. "Feed. Let's get you healed so we can go kill that bastard."

Spike looked up at Angel. "Oi! Between you and Bit, I'm gonna be the first podgy vamp in history."

Xander looked confused. "Podgy?"

Spike smiled at him. "Yeah, rotund, lardarse, salad dodger. Dawn had me feed from her just 'fore she left."

Xander's eyes went wide. "You feed from Dawn?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. I tried to tell her that I didn't need to, I'm fine on bagged, but she said she enjoys taking care of me."

Angel smiled. "That's probably a little weird for you, isn't it?"

Tony glanced between Angel and Spike with a confused look on his face. "Why would it be weird for his girlfriend to like taking care of him?"

Xander snorted, "If you knew the rest of his girlfriends, you'd understand."

Spike looked at the counter and mumbled, "Xander's right. Dawn's the first girl to do things **for** me. I spent over a century takin' care of Dru. And Buffy, well..."

Xander snickered, "Don't forget Harmony."

Spike scowled at him as Angel chuckled, "Might be weird, Spike, but you should get used to it. Dawn loves you. Now feed."

Spike muttered, "I'm gonna get podgy."

Tony's eyes went wide as he watched Spike vamp and sink his fangs into Angel's forearm. Angel didn't even flinch, just stood there and watched Spike feed. Xander nudged Tony and he jumped. "Never seen a vamp feed before?"

Tony shook his head. "No. I always thought they bit the neck."

Xander nodded. "They usually do when they're hunting, but members of the fang gang will bite you just about anywhere. They're not really all that picky."

Spike released Angel's arm and licked the wound closed. "Ta, Peaches."

Tony snickered, "Peaches?"

Spike smiled. "Yeah, it's a nickname from way back, not too long after I was turned. Want to explain what it means, Peaches?"

Angel growled, "No."

Tony held up his hands and stammered, "Hey, not necessary. Don't worry about it." He looked at Spike. "How old are you?"

"I was born in 1852 and turned in 1880."

Tony goggled at Spike. "Holy shit! You're over 150 years old!"

Spike laughed, "Yeah. I'm gettin' up there, but Gramps here has over a century on me." He nodded at Angel who scowled at him.

"Don't call me Gramps, boy."

Tony looked between the two vampires quizzically. "Are you two related?"

Spike nodded. "Angel's my Grandsire."

"Uh… what?"

Xander said, "If Spike turned you into a vampire he'd be your Sire. Spike's Sire was Drusilla and Angel sired her."

"Oh. Makes sense, I guess. Um, Spike, can I ask you something?"

Spike nodded. "Sure, mate. Ask away."

"Um, would you bite me?"

Xander sputtered, "What? You _want _him to bite you? Are you mental?"

Spike tilted his head at Tony. "Why?"

Tony shrugged. "Just want to see what it feels like, you know, without all the death."

Spike shrugged then nodded. "Yeah, all right, I'll bite you. Where?"

Tony held out his arm. "Forearm, I guess. Does it make a difference where you bite?"

Spike shook his head. "Not really. You want me to drink or just bite?"

"You can drink, I guess, as long as you don't kill me."

Spike smiled as he took hold of Tony's arm. "Been doin' this a long time, mate. I know how much to take and still leave you breathin'." He released his demon and sank his fangs into Tony's arm then pulled a few mouthfuls before releasing him and licking the wound closed.

Tony looked down at the two small puncture wounds in his arm and smiled. "That was weird. Kinda felt like a needle stick, like when you give blood. I could feel you sucking the blood out, but it didn't really hurt at all."

Angel chuckled, "He could've made it excruciating if he'd wanted to."

Spike snarled, "Alan's gonna feel pain. Bloody tons."

Angel said quietly, "We'll get him, Spike. Don't worry."

They all wandered out to the living room and Xander asked as he dropped onto the couch, "So what are the girls shopping for anyway?"

Spike answered as he sat carefully in a chair, "Clothes."

"Oh… well… natural, I guess."

"For me."

Xander burst out laughing, "You're letting Dawn and Willow pick out your clothes?"

Spike snarled, "Not like I had much of a choice, now did I? In case you've not noticed, Bit pretty much does what she wants."

Xander nodded. "Yeah. I have noticed. She's not our little Dawnie anymore. You know, she threatened to beat me to death just after I got here."

Spike's eyes went wide. "Why?"

Xander looked at the floor and mumbled, "I told her you deserved what was happening to you at that place."

Spike closed his eyes then swallowed and nodded. "Right then. I'll just stay out of your way and wait for Bit in our room. Thought maybe you'd changed your mind 'bout me, but I'm bloody tired of tryin' to prove myself to you, whelp. Dawn wants me here, and I'll be here 'till she tells me to go. Be seein' you." Angel growled as Spike started to get up from the chair and Tony glared at Xander.

Xander sighed, "Spike, wait." Spike stopped moving and just sat, staring at the floor between his feet. Xander took a deep breath. "Ok. I know I've been a complete asshole toward you for basically as long as I've known you. I don't know if Buffy ever told you about Jesse." Spike nodded. "Well, having to stake my best friend kinda made me hate vampires. All of 'em. I had to believe that all vampires were evil... that I'd done the right thing by killing him. If I didn't, then that meant I'd murdered my best friend. I only started trusting Angel a few years ago, and that's mostly because of the soul. You don't have one, so I didn't think you could ever change. You'd always be evil. Buffy always told us you were a thing, and you couldn't be good, and the only reason you were helping us at all was so we wouldn't stake you while you were defenseless."

Spike shook his head with a grimace.

"I know now. When I saw you after we'd gotten you out of there, I remembered how you looked after Glory got done with you and it hit me. You didn't have to let her do that to you. You could've given Dawn up and Glory would have let you go and you could've skipped town and left us all to die. That would've been the evil thing to do. I mean, it's not like most of us were even nice to you, but you let her beat you to a pulp to save Dawn. Then I remembered all the other times you fought with us, even after Buffy died. You'd charge in and try to keep us from getting hurt. Didn't always work, but you tried."

Spike nodded slightly.

"I know you've killed tons of people, and I had a really hard time getting past that. Once a killer, always a killer. Then Willow reminded me about Anya, and all the men she killed and tortured over a thousand years. I managed to forget that when it came to her, but not when it was you. You'd both stopped killing and were both trying to be better people, but I never gave you credit for it."

Xander stood and walked over to stand in front of Spike. "Anyway, I wanted to say I'm sorry for how I've treated you and thank you for everything you did for us. I'd like to be your friend if you'll let me." He held his hand out to Spike.

Spike whispered, "What about what I did to Buffy?"

Xander pulled his hand back and squared his shoulders. "Dawn and Willow told me all about that and I'm pissed." Spike looked up at Xander warily. "Not at you. I'm pissed at her for letting me think she was the innocent victim. She's just as much to blame, actually more to blame than you are. She jerked your chain for months until you finally snapped at her. I still love Buffy; probably always will, but I forgive you."

He extended his hand toward Spike again and this time Spike shook it. Spike's voice trembled a little when he said, "Proper mates then?"

Xander nodded and smiled. "Yeah, Fang Boy, we're... mates." He chuckled and muttered, "Weird British words," as he walked back over to the couch and dropped down. "So, now what? We've got the Oprah stuff out of the way. What do we do now?"

Spike reached over and snagged his duster from the arm of the other chair and started digging in the pockets. "Oi! Who cleaned my coat? Thought there'd be blood all over it."

Xander shrugged. "Dawn started to and I finished it up for her after she went in to take care of you."

Spike looked up at Xander and smiled. "Thanks, Xander. Means a lot." He reached deep into an inside pocket and came up with a worn deck of cards. "You lot up for some poker?"


	24. Chapter 24 Yummy

Not Long to Wait

Ch 24 – Yummy

"Willow, look at this jacket!" Willow turned and saw Dawn holding up a leather motorcycle jacket that looked like it'd been drug behind a motorcycle for about twenty miles.

"How much?"

Dawn checked the tag. "Three hundred. I'm gonna get it. He'll look so yummy in this, it's worth it."

"Cool. I found three shirts. Here, feel one." She held up a blood red shirt.

Dawn ran her fingers over the soft velvet fabric, her eyes drifting shut. "Mmmm. Yeah, get that one. Definitely."

Willow dropped it into the cart and laughed, "You sure you don't want to take it into the dressing room for a little private time first?"

Dawn giggled, "No, just can't wait to get it home and put it on him. Don't think he'll be wearing it very long though." She closed her eyes, imagining Spike in the shirt, then shivered. "Or maybe he will."

Willow smiled and blushed a little as she pushed the cart toward the jeans. "Um, what size does he wear?"

Dawn walked over to the racks of jeans and pulled several off the stacks, checking the tags. "These should do. Should I just get black, or get some regular blue jeans too?"

Willow shrugged. "Might as well get a couple blue ones. What about underwear or socks? Does he need pajamas?"

Dawn smiled. "He doesn't wear underwear, and he sleeps naked, but we should probably get some socks. Maybe see if we can find him a new pair of Docs, too. The boots he has are almost falling apart. We also need to pick up an electric blanket before we leave."

"Electric blanket?"

Dawn smiled. "Yeah. Spike's feet are like ice, so I figured I'd get the bed nice and warm for him." Willow blushed again and Dawn laughed, "Not like that, Wils. Even though he's a vampire, I don't think he likes being cold. He wraps himself around me like a rag, not that I don't love it, but I don't think I'm enough to make him as warm as he likes."

Willow got a far-off dreamy look on her face as they walked over toward the shoe department, passing by a rack of bathrobes. Dawn stopped and pulled out a thick, fluffy robe in a beautiful midnight blue. She held it up and pictured Spike sitting in the chair in her room with it draped over him, open at the chest and slightly dropped off one shoulder. She shivered as she imagined the contrast between his creamy, alabaster skin and the soft dark fabric. She turned and dropped it in the cart then looked up at Willow who was standing there smirking at her. "What?"

"Picking out a bathrobe makes you shiver?"

Dawn laughed, "No. Imagining what it'll look like on him makes me shiver."

Willow laughed, "You've got it bad, don't you?"

Dawn smiled. "Yeah, I do." She ran her fingers over the robe. *_Ok, time to play matchmaker. I've seen how they look at each other, but she'll never do anything unless I give her a push.* _She looked up at Willow and asked, "So what's going on with you? Got your eye on anyone special?" *_Like I don't know already.* _Willow blushed almost as red as her hair and looked down at the floor. Dawn squealed, "You do! Who is she? Do I know her?" *_Play it cool, like I don't know what's going on.*_

Willow blushed even redder and whispered, "Yeah, you know him."

Dawn smirked. "Him? Who is it?"

Willow looked up at Dawn and stammered, "Please don't say anything to him. I just started noticing him a few days ago, I mean, I've noticed him before, but I never really thought about him _that way_. And then when he was holding me after Faith died, I noticed him. Boy, did I notice him." She looked down at the floor again as Dawn smiled. "Goddess, I'm such a horrible person! Faith's dead, and I'm crushing on him, and all he was doing was holding me! He probably doesn't even know I exist, much less think of me like that. Just never mind. I'll forget about it. It's never gonna work out anyway."

Dawn stepped in front of Willow and pulled her into a hug. "You're not a horrible person, Willow. Believe me, if Faith were here, she'd be telling you to go for it. And who says it couldn't work out? Angel's a really nice guy, and I'm sure he knows you exist."

Willow pulled back with wide eyes. "How'd you know it was Angel?"

Dawn laughed, "Not that hard to figure out, Wils. Angel was the only one holding you, plus I've seen him watching you."

Willow's eyes got huge. "You have?"

Dawn chuckled, "Yeah. He gets this dreamy look on his face; it's really kind of cute. Have you spent much time with him since Sunnydale?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I lived at his firm for almost a year doing research and translating ancient texts for the Council. I've only been back in England for about a month and a half. He'd bring me food, and sit and talk with me while I was researching. I thought he was just being nice because I didn't really know anyone but Fred, and she was always busy in the lab or out with Gunn. You really think he likes me?"

Dawn shrugged. "Judging by how he's acted since you got here, I'd have to say yes, and it's probably more than just _like_."

"What do you mean, _more than like?_"

Dawn smiled. "He looks at you like I look at Spike. I think he loves you, Wils."

X

XXXX

X

The elevator doors slid open and they walked quietly toward the laughter and shouting coming from the dining room. They stopped dead and whispered, "Oh my God," as the room came into view. The dining room table was covered in half-eaten plates of food, glasses, cards, and four bottles of Jack Daniels. Three bottles were dead and the fourth was on life support. Xander and Tony were leaning on the table wearing nothing but their underwear, and Angel was listing severely to port in only his pants. Spike was sitting fully clothed at the head of the table, dealing cards with a pile of laundry sitting on the floor next to his chair.

Dawn giggled silently as she carefully set down the bags in one hand then pulled out her cell phone and snapped a picture as she burst out laughing. "I thought I told you guys to be good! Getting plowed and playing strip poker at two o'clock in the afternoon doesn't really qualify."

Xander raised his glass and slurred, "Ladies! How was shopping? Didja get Evil Dead some pretty, frilly things?"

Angel tried to turn around and almost fell out of his chair. He gripped the table and righted himself then lifted his glass and drained it. He held on and managed to get turned around then asked blearily, "Ye spend all 'is money?"

Tony started to say something then his head thumped to the table and he passed out cold in a plate of nachos. Spike snorted, "Humans. Can't hold their liquor. You birds want to join us?"

Dawn and Willow shook their heads and laughed. "No. Looks like you four need to go sleep it off."

Spike looked scandalized. "Oi! I was good! Nary a drop." He grinned. "That's why I'm winnin'. 'Course I'd be winnin' anyway against this lot, even if they were stone cold sober. Worst poker faces I've ever seen."

Dawn walked over behind Spike and bent down, sliding her hands down his chest and nibbling on his ear. "You didn't drink at all?"

He leaned back into her. "Nope. I'm still healin'. Booze slows it down, and I wanna be back to fightin' trim as soon as I can. Got me a useless git to kill."

"Well, let Willow and I get these three tucked in and we'll show you what we got for you."

Willow took one of the bags to the kitchen and put it in the fridge then dropped a box of donuts on the counter while Dawn stood and walked over to Xander. "Let's go, Xan." She hauled him up and steered him toward his room, then got him laid down and covered up. She walked into the hallway and winked as she passed Willow leading a wobbly Angel into his room.

Willow pulled Angel over to the bed and backed him up to it then put her hands on his shoulders and pushed down to make him sit. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her then pulled her into his lap and nuzzled against her neck. "Ye smell wonderful, my beautiful Willow."

Willow squeaked as he gently licked her neck then nibbled up to her earlobe. "Angel, what are you doing?" He slid his hands down to her waist and slipped them under her shirt then trailed them up her back as he gently kissed her. *_Oh Goddess!* _He lightly licked across her bottom lip and she gasped. His tongue slowly entered her mouth and explored as her fingers slipped into his hair to pull him closer. She pressed into him, probing his mouth with her tongue until she had to break away to catch her breath. He trailed kisses down her neck as one hand slipped up her stomach and slid over her breast. He squeezed it gently, lightly pinching the nipple, then suddenly fell backwards onto the bed, pulling her down with him.

His arms fell limp and she lay on his chest, breathing heavily for a minute, then lifted herself off him. She stood by the bed looking at him as she lifted her hand and lightly touched her lips. Dawn laughed from the dining room and she jumped then reached down and quickly pulled his legs up on the bed before throwing a blanket over him. She looked at him again then scurried out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Willow walked into the dining room just as Dawn lifted Tony out of the chair and slung him over her shoulder. She walked toward Willow and smirked. "Angel give you trouble? Took you a while."

Willow's eyes flicked to Spike then she smiled and said normally. "No, not really. He passed out before he made it all the way on the bed. He's just really heavy." As Dawn walked past her she whispered, "He kissed me then he passed out."

Dawn smiled and whispered, "He'll sober up soon and you can get more smoochies." Willow blushed and followed Dawn as she carried Tony into his room. As soon as they stepped through the door, Dawn asked, "So how was it?"

"Oh Goddess, Dawnie! It was amazing! If he kisses that good when he's drunk then... I just hope he remembers it when he wakes up."

Dawn dropped Tony on the bed then fetched a towel from the bathroom and wiped the nacho cheese off his face. She smiled and shook her head as she pulled a blanket over him. They walked back out to the dining room and Dawn pulled Spike to his feet. "Ok. Children are all tucked in. Now you can come sit in the living room and see all the cool stuff we got for you."

Spike followed her over toward the couch, tilting his head and smirking as he passed Willow. He stopped and looked at her and she blushed and walked quickly to a chair and dropped down. He continued on to the couch and sat down. "All right ladies, am I gonna look like a complete ponce? There better not be anythin' with ruffles or barmy phrases."

Dawn shook her head as she reached into the first bag and pulled out the bathrobe, holding it up.

Spike smirked. "You got me a robe? Did you get the slippers, too?"

Willow laughed, "You should have seen her picking it out. It made her shiver."

Spike's eyebrow went up as he looked at Dawn. "Shiver?"

She leaned over and whispered in his ear as she trailed her hand down his chest, "Can't wait to see it on you and then..." She licked his ear and he shivered as she handed him the robe and started digging in another bag. She pulled out the blood red shirt and rubbed her fingers across the fabric then held it up.

"Nice, pet. Love the color."

"Willow picked it out. She got two more, one blue and one black. We also got you jeans and some t-shirts and socks." She handed the shirts to him then pulled out the boots.

"You got me Docs? Ta, pet. Haven't had a pair of those since I left Sunnydale."

"I kinda figured. Wait until you see the jacket I found." She dug in a large bag and pulled out the jacket then held it up against him. "Yep. Yummy. Just like I thought. Here, try this on."

Spike stood and slid into the jacket then held his arms out and turned in a slow circle. Dawn stared at him for a few minutes then shivered and scooped up the shirts and the robe. She stood up, grabbed his hand, and pulled him toward the bedroom. Spike smiled as he heard the TV in the living room turn on then get really loud. *_Don't think that's gonna cover it, Red.*_

Willow put down the remote as she watched Dawn drag Spike into the bedroom, then she reached up and touched her lips as she gazed wistfully at the hallway.


	25. Chapter 25 Fabulous

Not Long to Wait

Ch 25 – Fabulous

Spike was leaning back in the chair wearing his new bathrobe as Dawn stood in front of him, drinking him in. She licked her lips. "Better than I imagined."

Spike slid his hand down his chest and leered up at her. "It's just a bathrobe, pet."

"Mmm Hmm. It may be just a bathrobe, but when you wear it…" She tugged her shirt over her head and peeled out of her jeans then knelt in front of the chair and reached up, lightly brushing her fingers down the smooth column of his throat. She trailed them down over his collar bone then down his chest along the edge of the robe. He shuddered and moaned low in his throat as her nails skated over his nipple and continued down his stomach to where the belt held the robe closed. She lazily untied the belt as he looked down at her with hooded eyes that had gone almost as dark as the robe.

She pushed the fabric open and leaned back, licking her lips as she gazed slowly over her vampire. "You look good enough to eat. Think I'll have a taste." He growled as she licked a trail up his thigh then gasped as she took him in her mouth and drew him in deep. She licked and stroked until he was panting and raising his hips off the chair. She stopped and stood up; smiling at the small whimper she heard, then pulled him to his feet and led him to the bed. She stopped beside it and pulled him into a long kiss, his hands trailing down her sides to her hips. He pulled her tight against him as he nipped along her jaw and down her neck.

He turned her and pushed her down on the bed then licked and nipped a trail down her neck to her breast, drawing the nipple into his mouth and sucking hard as she moaned and tangled her hands in his hair. He kissed across to the other breast, laving it generously with his tongue, then trailed down her stomach. He lifted her legs and pushed them open, then dove in for a long lick. She moaned and her hips bucked off the bed as her fingers tightened in his hair. He placed one hand on her stomach then slid his fingers in and quickly worked his tongue until she arched up off the bed with a scream.

He lifted her legs over his shoulders as he crawled back up her body and slid home with a slow thrust. He growled as he moved within her, driving deep. "So hot, pet. Gonna burn me up."

She wrapped her hands in the bathrobe and pulled him down to her neck. "Bite me, Spike." He growled loudly as he shifted into game face and started thrusting harder. He licked across her pulse point as he pounded into her then sank his fangs deep. Her entire body clenched and her hands flew to his head, holding him tight against her as she screamed his name. He tensed and released deep inside her as he roared into her neck then shuddered and collapsed onto her. He retracted his fangs and gently licked the bite closed as she twitched and shuddered beneath him.

He lifted his head and kissed gently along her jaw as he murmured, "Thanks for the robe, luv."

She smiled and slid her hands underneath it, pulling him close as she stroked down his back. "No problem. Want to put the jacket on next?"

X

XXXX

X

Angel stumbled out of his room clutching his head and walked into the kitchen. He pulled a blood bag from the fridge, drained it into a mug, then popped it in the microwave and collapsed onto a stool, closing his eyes while it warmed. The beep from the microwave made him clutch his head again, then he pulled the mug out and walked to the living room. He dropped down into a chair and looked blearily over at Willow. "Could you turn the TV down? It's killing me."

She looked at him thoughtfully then grabbed the remote and lowered the volume as she smirked at him. "I can imagine. Vampire hearing and a hangover. Considering how drunk you were, you didn't sleep very long."

He sipped at his mug and nodded. "Vampires don't take that long to recover. A couple mugs of blood and I'll be good as new. Where is everybody?"

_*He doesn't remember.* _"Xander and Tony are still passed out and Dawn and Spike are in their room."

"Doing what?" Just then a scream and a roar echoed through the apartment and Angel smiled. "Never mind. That's why you had the TV on so loud."

Willow smiled. "Yeah. They've been at it since we got back from shopping. That's like the fourth time. Should only be one more before they're done, I hope."

Angel looked at her quizzically. "One more? Why do you say that?"

Willow held up her fingers one at a time as she said, "A bathrobe, a jacket, and three button down shirts. Four down, one to go."

Angel burst out laughing then groaned and clutched his head. "He's never gonna heal at this rate."

Willow blushed a little and laughed, "Sounds like he's doing ok to me." She got up and walked over to him, placing her hand gently on his forehead. "You want some of my blood? Might help your head feel a little better." *S_eeing you in pain hurts me.*_

Angel looked up at her with wide eyes. "You're offering me your blood?"

Willow smiled shyly. "Well, yeah. You're my friend and if it'll make you feel better…" *_A friend that got a little up close and personal with me a few hours ago and now doesn't even remember. And you know what? I want you to do it again.*_

He slowly looked her over, looking into her eyes then drinking in her creamy, pale skin with liberally sprinkled freckles. He watched her pulse beating steadily in her neck and licked his lips then smiled and nodded. "Um, ok. Thanks."

Willow went into the kitchen and came back with a sharp knife. She knelt next to Angel's chair and was about to slice across her arm when he reached up and stilled her hand. "If I bite you it'll heal faster than if you cut yourself. I won't if you don't want me to but, thought you'd like to know." *_She'll never go for it, but Gods I want to. I want to kiss those beautiful lips and take her into my bed.* _He shook his head slightly. *_Gods, I'm an idiot. She's gay. She's not interested in me like that. Just because I love her doesn't mean she has any feelings for me. She's just helping a friend.*_

He stared at her as her face turned thoughtful then she nodded. "Um, yeah, I guess, where's the best place to bite?" *_Please say neck. Please say neck. I want you close to me again.*_

"Over a large artery. I don't have to pull as hard to get the blood out that way. Less damage." *_And I get to hold you close. For a little while at least.*_

She put the knife down and stood up. "So, neck then?" Her stomach was suddenly all shivery as she looked at him. *_Goddess! The way he's looking at me! Like he wants me. Not just my blood. Me.* _She smiled faintly as she saw something deep in his eyes. *_Like he loves me.*_

He nodded and she sat down on his lap carefully with her legs across his then leaned toward him, pulling her hair back from her neck. "You've been bitten before." He gently ran his fingers over the faint scar on her neck.

She shivered and nodded. "Yeah. Harmony bit me back in Sunnydale."

"Harmony, huh? She never mentioned it."

Willow giggled nervously. "She's probably bitten a lot of people and I don't think I'd stand out on that list."

He nuzzled against her neck. "I'd remember." He vamped and licked gently across her pulse point then whispered, "You sure about this?" *_Please say yes. I want you, Willow.*_

She was very sure. Sure she wanted more from him than just a bite. She wanted more of what he'd started earlier. Maybe it was hearing Spike and Dawn all afternoon, or maybe it was the fact that she'd been alone for a long time, but she wanted him. Badly. *_H__e's such a good kisser.* _She took a deep breath through her nose and sighed inwardly. *_And he smells so good!* _She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that same look in his eyes. The one that sent little shivery butterflies dive-bombing around her stomach. *_He loves me. It's all over his face.*_

She nodded and shifted in his lap and the scent hit his nose like a freight train. He smelled her arousal and something else; his own scent mixed with hers. *_She just sat down. How can my scent be on her already?* _He quickly went over the day in his mind, trying to remember if she'd hugged him or anything, then he sniffed again. *_It's only about five or six hours old. It had to have happened after they got back from shopping. We were drinking and playing cards and she took me to my room to sleep it off and...* _The images slammed into his brain. *_I kissed her.* _He looked at her closely. She was sitting quietly on his lap with her neck bared, waiting for him to bite her. *_I kissed her and she didn't push me away or turn me into a toad or anything.*_

_*What is he waiting for? Did he change his mind?* _She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and saw him break into a huge grin, then closed her eyes as he licked her neck again and nibbled up to her ear. She slid her fingers into his hair and he growled low in his chest as she turned his head and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. She lightly licked across his bottom lip and gently pressed her tongue forward. His hand slid up her back and grasped her head as he pulled her closer and probed her mouth with his tongue. She moaned into his mouth as his other hand slid under her skirt and slipped up her leg. She shifted a little to give him easier access and felt something pressing into the outside of her thigh.His fingers skated across the fabric covering her core and she gasped and froze.

He stilled and pulled back a little to look at her. "Willow, are you all right? Do you want me to stop?"

She shook her head and looked down at his chest. "Um... I'm just worried about your curse. I know you lost your soul when you and Buffy…"

He smiled then leaned in and nibbled her ear. "I had my soul anchored years ago. No more curse. Angelus is done."

She looked at him and smiled. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

He shrugged. "Just never came up."

She leaned in to kiss him. "Oh." She kissed across his jaw and nibbled on his earlobe as he moaned and the hand under her skirt started moving again. He pushed the fabric out of the way and gently slid two fingers in as his thumb started working her swollen nub. He nipped lightly on her neck as she panted and clutched his head. She started to quiver and he sank his fangs deep. She clenched and cried out, "Oh Goddess!" as her fingers tangled in his hair and her hips rose up off his lap. She relaxed and fell back against him as he swallowed her blood then retracted his fangs and licked the bite closed.

He murmured against her neck, "If you'd like, we can continue this in my room."

She nodded and he stood with her in his arms and carried her down the hall to his room. He toed the door open and sat her on the edge of the bed then turned and closed the door, making sure to lock it. He turned back to her and saw her sitting shyly, staring at the floor. He knelt in front of her and lifted her chin. "Willow, what's wrong?"

She blushed and stammered, "I know I'm supposed to be gay, and maybe I am, I don't know anymore, but I really want you, and I know you kissed me earlier, but you were drunk and the way you looked at me out there and…" He put his finger gently on her lips.

"Willow, I want you. I've wanted you for a long time, but I didn't think you were playing for my team and I didn't want to force anything. I know I was drunk when I kissed you earlier, but I'm not drunk now and I'd like to do it again, but I'm not going to pressure you into anything. We can take it slow." He leaned up and kissed her gently then stood and was starting for the door when she snagged the waistband of his pants and stopped him.

He looked down into her emerald green eyes and gasped when she popped the button of his pants and slowly slid the zipper down. She took him in her hand and stroked slowly then smiled and said, "Forget slow. I want you now." She took him in her mouth and his hands flew up and tangled in her hair as her head bobbed. *_Like riding a bike. Guess there's some things you never forget how to do._*

She took him deep and swallowed around him as he growled and thrust his hips. "Gods, Willow!" He tensed and thrust deep, roaring as he spent deep in her throat.

She licked him clean then smiled up at him. "So all vampires roar like that, huh?"

He smiled down at her. "Yeah, it's the demon." He slid his pants down and stepped out of them then stripped his shirt off and pulled her to her feet. He bent down and kissed her deeply, exploring her mouth with his tongue as he unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it off her shoulders. She let it drop to the floor then wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing close to him as he slid his hands down her sides and hooked his thumbs into her skirt, slipping it off her hips. It pooled at her feet in a rustle of fabric and he lifted her and laid her gently on the bed.

He slowly slid her panties down her legs and off her feet then moved between her legs and licked at her gently while she moaned and gripped the sheets. Her hands flew to his hair and tried to pull him closer as he thrust his tongue deep into her core. "Oh Goddess, Angel! Please. I need you." She pulled him up her body and cried out as he entered her with a slow thrust. He stilled for a moment as she adjusted to his size then started thrusting slowly as she gripped his arms.

She wrapped her legs around him and raised her hips to meet his thrusts as he started moving faster. He was pounding into her, grunting with each thrust when she dug her nails into his back and arched up off the bed with a scream. She clenched around him and he threw his head back and roared as he exploded deep inside her. He thrust a few more times then collapsed onto her. She squirmed a little and he propped himself up on his elbows so she could breathe then leaned down and kissed her deeply. "Are you ok, Willow?"

She smiled sleepily at him and murmured, "Goddess yes. I'm fabulous. You're fabulous. That was fabulous."

He chuckled and moved next to her, pulling her close and nuzzling her neck as he pulled a blanket over them. She twined her fingers with his and sighed as she nestled into him and drifted off to sleep. He propped himself up on one elbow and watched her sleep. *_I'll have to remember to thank Spike for getting me drunk enough to finally do something.* _He lay back down and fell asleep to the sound of her breathing.


	26. Chapter 26 A Shovel

Not Long to Wait

Ch 26 – A Shovel

Dawn heard something and lifted her head off Spike's chest. "What was that?"

Spike smiled as he trailed a lazy hand down her back. "Angel. Again."

She looked at him. "Angel? Is he hurt or something?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, he's not hurt. Figure he feels bloody good right about now. He's just been doin' the same thing we've been doin' for the last six hours, pet."

She smiled and laid her head back on his chest then started tracing circles on his stomach. "Oh. Not sure what I heard. It was a roar, wasn't it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, caused by Red, I'd guess."

She nipped playfully at his chest. "This is so cool. Willow and Angel together. How'd you figure it out?"

"Smelled him all over her after she took him to his room to sleep off the Jack. She let out one hell of a scream just 'fore he roared this last time. You didn't hear it?"

She shook her head. "No, guess I didn't. I barely heard the roar, but I don't have super vamp hearing either." She got up and slipped into her robe then tossed Spike's robe to him. "We should get some blood into you and I'm starving. We've had a busy afternoon."

He smiled as he propped himself up on his elbows. "Yeah. One of the best afternoons of my unlife. So when you goin' shoppin' for me again?"

She grinned and pulled him to his feet. "Haven't worn out the stuff I bought today. Might be a little while." She slid her hands over his chest then leaned up to kiss him. "I love you, Spike."

He wrapped his arms around her and gently nipped at her neck, "Love you too, pet." He slipped the blue shirt off and tossed it on the bed then shrugged into his robe. She backed up, looking him up and down, then grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the door.

Spike chuckled as he was pulled forward. "What's the rush, pet? M'not gonna starve to death in the next few minutes."

"Maybe not, but seeing you in that robe makes me want to do things, and if I don't get you out of here then we're both gonna starve to death."

Spike laughed all the way to the kitchen.

X

XXXX

X

Willow slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room. *_Where am I? This isn't my room.*_ She started to roll over and realized someone was in bed with her. She rolled over slowly and came face to face with a sleeping vampire. Her face flushed and she suddenly got very warm as she remembered how she ended up in Angel's bed. *_Goddess, he's amazing, but is this what I really want? A vampire?* _She reached up and gently trailed her fingers along his cheek. *_Well, I've been with a werewolf, a witch, and a slayer, so I guess a vampire isn't too far out of my league. Plus he's smart and funny and so completely hot.*_

He moved his leg as he rolled onto his back and the blanket slid off the bed and fell to the floor. Now she was lying next to a naked sleeping vampire.A very hot, very sexy, naked sleeping vampire. She gasped as she looked him over and her hand moved to his chest and lightly traced across the muscles. She trailed her fingers over his stomach and the muscles twitched just a little. She smiled. *_He's ticklish._*

Her fingers moved farther down and lightly brushed over him. She laid her hand on him then leaned down and licked and nibbled lightly across his chest. She pulled his nipple into her mouth and suckled it as her hand started gently stroking. He moaned low in his chest and she stroked harder as her mouth moved down his stomach. She looked up at him when he growled, then smiled and took him in her mouth. His hands tangled in her hair as his eyes fluttered open. He looked down and smiled at the mop of red hair tangled through his fingers.

She took him deep into her throat and his moans got louder. She looked up at him and grinned when she saw his dark chocolate eyes locked on hers. She got up and straddled him then guided him to her opening, sinking down onto him with a loud moan. He looked up at her and smiled. "Nice way to wake up."

She leaned down and nibbled on his ear as she slowly rocked her hips. "Couldn't help it. You looked so good, I had to play." His hands gripped her hips as he thrust up into her hard. She sat up and leaned back and he started growling and thrust harder as he watched her bounce on him. Suddenly she was on her back and he was pounding her into the mattress with his fangs brushing her skin as if asking permission. She clutched his head and moaned, "Oh Goddess, yes!"

He thrust into her hard and deep as he sank his fangs into her neck. Her legs wrapped around him as she clenched and screamed his name. He roared against her neck as he spent deep inside her then collapsed against her and licked the bite closed. He lifted up and captured her lips in a blistering kiss then murmured, "My beautiful Willow."

X

XXXX

X

Dawn and Spike were cuddled up on the couch, eating pizza and watching a movie when they heard it – moaning and growling coming from Angel's room.

Spike smirked. "Sounds like Peaches and Red are awake."

Dawn laughed, "Yeah." Something occurred to her and she quickly sat up and looked at Spike. "Should we be worried?"

He tilted his head at her. "'Bout what, luv?"

"Angelus." She looked at the hallway. "He lost his soul when he and Buffy had sex. Now he's having sex with Willow."

Spike shook his head. "I don't think it's gonna be a problem, kitten. He smells different."

Dawn tilted her head. "Smells different? What do you mean?"

Spike shrugged. "I remember how he smelled when he was Angelus and after he got his soul. Now he smells different. The soul's different. I think he may have found a way to anchor it."

"You can smell Angel's soul?"

"Yeah."

She smiled and leaned in for a long kiss. "That's kinda weird, Spike."

He shrugged. "It's a vampire thing, kitten." Suddenly they heard Willow scream Angel's name followed by a muffled roar and Dawn giggled into Spike's neck.

A few minutes later Xander bolted into the living room, blinking sleepily and clutching a sword, "What's happening? Who screamed?"

Dawn stopped nibbling on Spike's neck and sat up, laughing, "Willow."

Xander spun toward the hall. "Why's Wil screaming?"

Dawn untangled herself from Spike walked over to Xander, lowering the sword. "Angel."

"Dead Boy? What the hell's he doing to her?"

Spike muttered, "Don't think you wanna know, mate."

Dawn leaned in and whispered in Xander's ear. He pulled back and goggled at her. "But... she's gay!"

Dawn shook her head and lay back down on the couch next to Spike, slipping her hand inside the robe and scratching her nails lightly across his chest.

Xander dropped into a chair and dropped the sword on the floor next to it. "What about Angelus? Don't we have to worry about that?"

Spike shook his head. "No, don't think we do."

Dawn chuckled, "Spike says he smells different."

Xander leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands. "I must still be drunk because nothing is making any sense. My gay friend Willow is getting all groiny with Dead Boy and he smells different. Right. I'm going back to bed. Maybe the world will make sense the next time I wake up."

Angel walked around the corner with Willow's hand in his. "I smell different? What are you talking about?"

Spike sat up and smirked at Angel. "Your soul. It's anchored, innit?"

Angel nodded. "Yeah. Years ago."

Dawn jumped off the couch and grabbed Willow's hand then they walked toward the kitchen, whispering and giggling. Angel and Spike watched them leave then looked at each other and Spike smiled. "This could be interestin'."

Xander got up and stalked toward Angel then stopped in front of him and looked him square in the eye. "What's going on with you and Willow?"

Angel met Xander's steady gaze with one of his own. "I love her."

"Does she know that?"

"Not yet, no."

"Do you plan to tell her?"

"Yes."

Xander poked Angel in the chest and growled, "You hurt her and I'll beat you to death with a shovel."

Spike snorted, "Do you even own a shovel, whelp?"

Xander spun and glared at Spike. "I'll buy one special." He turned back to Angel. "Just for you." He turned back to Spike. "That goes for you too, Fang Boy."

Spike smirked. "What reason would I have to hurt Red?"

Xander growled. "You know what I mean!"

Angel laughed. "You do realize that you technically can't beat a vampire to death with a shovel, right?"

Xander scowled. "Maybe not, but once I'm done beating on you, I'll drive the handle through your chest. That oughta do it, ya think?"

Angel held up his hands as he chuckled and sat down. "Ok, ok, Xander. I get the point. I'm not going to hurt her."

"And I'm not gonna hurt the Bit, so you don't have to visit the gardening section of the local home improvement shop."

Xander ran his hand through his hair and sat back down. "Good. Just so we're clear." He looked up at the ceiling and sighed loudly, "Vampires. Why is it always vampires?" He looked at Angel. "Alright, Dead Boy, explain to me how this whole you loving Willow thing happened."


	27. Chapter 27 Ruthless

Not Long to Wait

Ch 27 – Ruthless

Dawn dragged Willow around the corner into the kitchen then stopped her and whispered, "Hold on, this could be informative."

They stood quietly and listened to the guys talking in the living room. They heard Angel tell Xander that he loved Willow and Dawn nudged her and whispered, "See? I told you!"

They clapped their hands over their mouths and tried not to laugh out loud when Xander threatened Angel and Spike with a shovel, then listened carefully as Angel explained to Xander how he fell in love with Willow.

"Alright Dead Boy, explain to me how this whole you loving Willow thing happened."

Angel smiled and glanced toward the kitchen. "You know she lived at my firm for almost a year, right?" Xander nodded. "We spent a lot of time together just talking and well, I fell in love with her. We talked about everything. I told her things about me that nobody else knows. And she listened. She's beautiful and funny and smart and I'd daydream about us being together but I never thought it would happen."

Xander smirked. "Because she was gay. _Was_ being the operative word here."

Angel nodded. "Yeah. I knew she didn't think of me like that but I was just happy to spend time with her."

"And what happened today?"

Angel smiled and looked over at Spike. "Spike happened."

Spike sat up and tried to look innocent under Xander's intense gaze. "Me? What'd I do?"

Angel grinned at him. "You got me drunk."

Spike held up his hands. "Woah, mate, think you've got that backwards. You got pissed all by yourself. I didn't force the Jack down your throat."

Xander looked confused. "How does you being drunk lead to groiny with Willow? She wasn't drunk. You didn't force her, did you?"

Angel shook his head roughly as his eyes flashed amber, "Hell, no!" He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. "When she helped me to my room to sleep off the liquor, she smelled so good and... I kissed her. And she didn't push me away or slap me or anything."

Spike tilted his head. "Still not seein' how this has anythin' to do with me."

Angel smiled. "Well, if you hadn't **helped** me get drunk then I never would've kissed Willow. I'd still be sitting here wishing we were together."

Spike smiled. "Right. Brooding. What you do best. Well, obviously the bird feels somethin' for you or you'd be a toad or somethin' now."

Angel and Xander laughed and Xander said, "Ok, I think I get it. And yeah, I think she probably does have feelings for you. Wils doesn't just jump in the sack with people. She's always had very strong feelings for anybody she got groiny with."

Dawn dragged Willow the rest of the way into the kitchen and asked, "Well, how was it?"

Willow got a goofy smile on her face and sighed, "Oh my Goddess, Dawnie, he's just amazing and wonderful and he feels so good. He does these things with his tongue and he's really big and..."

Dawn giggled, "Ok, Wils, I get the point. There's one thing you'll need to know about vampires though."

Willow got a worried look on her face. "What? Is it bad?"

Dawn smiled. "No. It's actually very, very good. Recovery time. A vamp's is almost zero."

Willow blushed and smiled. "Good to know."

"So, how do you feel about him? You know how he feels about you."

Willow smiled. "I love him, Dawn. We did talk about everything. I know things about him that I don't think anyone else does and he knows the same kind of things about me. I trust him with my life and… my heart. I'd put myself in a specific category and was scared to change it but I just had to figure out that you don't fall in love with someone because of their gender; you fall in love with a person. I'm gonna have to give Spike a big kiss for getting Angel drunk enough to make a move because I never would have."

Dawn playfully smacked her on the arm. "Hey, you have your own vampire. No smoochies with mine."

Willow laughed then her face turned thoughtful and she frowned. "Why didn't he tell me about the curse? We talked about everything else."

Dawn thought for a minute then smiled at Willow. "I think he was being a gentleman. He probably thought if he told you about it you'd think he was only telling you so he could get you in the sack."

Willow giggled. "Yeah, like _I'm all curseless now, wanna get it on?_" She sighed. "Goddess, Dawn, this is happening really fast. I hope he doesn't think I'm a slutbomb or something."

Dawn chuckled. "I seriously doubt it, Wils. He loves you. He's probably worried that you think he's taking advantage of you. You two should really just tell each other how you feel. Believe me; it saves a lot of time and heartache. I told Spike I loved him about five minutes after I found him. Took him a while to believe me because of all the crap he's had to deal with, but he's worth it. Just go for it, Wils. Not like Angel's gonna bite you or anything." They both giggled as Willow blushed and lightly ran her fingers over Angel's mark.

Willow put on her resolve face then nodded and said, "Ok. I'll do it. I'll tell him." She gave Dawn a hug. "Thanks, Dawnie," then walked back out to the living room and over to Angel. "I have something to tell you."

He looked up at her warily then smiled when he noticed the huge grin on her face. "I need to tell you something, too."

Tony walked around the corner rubbing his eyes just as they both said at the same time, "I love you." He walked over and dropped into the chair next to the couch then pulled out his phone. He looked at the screen then back up at Angel and Willow. "According to this," he held up his phone, "I've only been out for a little over eight hours. You two weren't together when I passed out, were you?"

Dawn shook her head. "Nope, but they are now." She clapped her hands and Spike sat up and joined her. Xander smiled then mouthed "Shovel," at Angel.

Willow noticed and walked over to Xander. "Thanks for trying to protect me, Xan, but you don't have to worry about anything. He's not going to hurt me." She wrapped him in a hug then walked back over to Angel, sat down on his lap and pulled him into a long kiss.

Tony looked over at Angel and Willow and smiled. "Congratulations." He looked at Spike and said, "You look better."

Spike nodded. "Yeah, ribs are still a bit sore but I'm almost tip top."

Tony smiled. "Ready to go Alan hunting? He usually shows up at the club in an hour or so."

Dawn looked at Spike. "Are you healed enough for that?"

He snarled, "Yeah. I'm more than ready to kill that sod. Let's go." Spike climbed off the couch and headed for the elevator. Dawn burst out laughing and he spun around. "What?"

She pointed at him as she giggled, "Planning to kill him in your bathrobe?"

Spike looked down at himself and chuckled, "No, guess not."

Xander laughed, "Yeah, dressed like that you don't really give off that scary vampire vibe. It's more like Hugh Hefner."

Spike flashed Xander the two finger salute then spun and headed for the bedroom. Dawn followed him and walked into the bedroom just as he shrugged out of the robe and tossed it on the bed. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest then propped her chin on his shoulder. "You ready for this?"

He nodded. "Yeah, pet." He walked over to the closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt then walked over to sit on the bed.

Dawn pulled some jeans and a shirt out of the closet and followed him over. "You gonna kill him slow?"

Spike stopped pulling on his jeans and looked up at her then shrugged. "Not sure, luv. Thought I wanted to inflict as much pain on him as I got but now I just want him dead. Don't much care how he gets that way." He stood and pulled up his jeans then did up the buttons and sat back down.

Dawn sat down and wrapped her arms around him then gently kissed his neck. "He had you tortured, Spike. You went through all that pain because of him. Don't you want to get even?"

He pulled her into a long, slow kiss then murmured, "I never was one for torture, kitten. That was more Angelus' territory. I loved the fight and the hunt but I usually killed my victims quickly. Last time I tortured anyone was when I was after the Gem of Amarra. Stuck a few hot pokers into Angel tryin' to get him to tell me where he put it."

She pulled back and looked at him. "You tortured Angel?"

He nodded and looked at the floor. "Yeah. Funny thing is, most of the time I never really enjoyed causin' pain. I did it 'cause it was expected and Angelus trained me to do it but William was always disgusted with it."

"There's a lot of him left in you, isn't there?"

Spike looked up at her. "Yeah. 'Gelus tried to beat him out of me but he's still there. I had to keep him locked away a lot of the time 'cause a Master Vampire isn't gonna get any respect from his minions if he's not vicious."

Dawn kissed him gently. "You know, I think he's why you're able to love without a soul. William's your soul, Spike."

Spike tilted his head as he thought that over. "Yeah, never thought of it like that. Guess he is."

"How did Angelus train you?"

"Mostly by torturin' me. Told that sod the other day that I'd been tortured by the best and he wasn't it. 'Gelus would've never cut on me while I was passed out. He always waited 'til I came to 'fore he started in again. He liked to hear me scream."

"Wow, Spike, you sure have been through a lot, haven't you?"

He smiled. "You don't know the half of it, kitten. I've been 'round a long time."

She wrapped him in a hug and lightly kissed his neck. "We better get going. Everybody's probably waiting on us."

Dawn slipped out of her robe and pulled on a pair of tight black jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt then disappeared into the closet. When she came back out she was wearing clunky motorcycle boots and a black leather duster similar to Spike's as she fastened the buckle of her pistol belt around her waist. She pulled her hair out of the braid and shook her head to loosen the curls then looked over at Spike. He was sitting slack-jawed on the bed staring at her.

She walked over slowly and stood in front of him then lifted her foot and placed it on the bed next to him. He breathed in her scent and closed his eyes. "Mmmm. You smell wonderful, luv." She reached down and wound the leather strap attached to the bottom of the holster around her leg and clipped the buckle then put that foot back on the floor and lifted the other one to the bed. Spike slid his hand up her leg and wrapped the strap around it then clipped the buckle. "Not that you don't look dead sexy in this getup, kitten, but I'm wonderin' somethin'."

She put her foot back on the floor and leaned down for a kiss. "What, Spike?"

"Um… mostly, how'd you go from sweet, innocent little Niblet to a ruthless killer?"

She sat down next to him. "I am ruthless, Spike, but I don't kill indiscriminately. I kill people who deserve to die. The guards at that house were hurting people. Maybe not directly, but they allowed it to happen. Doesn't matter that the people being hurt were vampires."

He took her hand and squeezed it. "I get that, luv, but what brought you to this point?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I've been killing vampires and demons for a long time and you know what I've noticed? There are a lot more evil people walking around than there will ever be evil demons. These people hurt others; smaller, weaker people than themselves, just because they can. Because they enjoy it. Most demons kill for food. That's it. They don't kill because it's fun or exciting, they kill to eat and humans just happen to be their food source."

She got up and started pacing quickly around the bedroom, the duster flaring out behind her. "About two years ago I was in this little podunk town chasing a pack of vamps through an abandoned warehouse when I came across a girl. She was beaten and bloody and cowering in a corner, sobbing. I thought she'd escaped from the vamps I was chasing but she didn't have any idea what I was talking about when I told her she was safe from them. She asked me if I'd found her date."

She stopped in front of him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Her date did that to her. She'd met this guy and they'd been out a few times and she said he was the nicest guy she'd ever met. This time though, he'd brought her to this warehouse and beaten and raped her for hours. He was gonna kill her, but the vamps I was chasing broke in on them and chased him off. I found out later that this guy had killed four other girls the same way."

Spike looked up at her with eyes full of compassion and concern. "You killed him, didn't you? You found him and you killed him."

She dropped to the floor in front of him and dropped her face to his knee, sobbing. "Yeah. I used some of Willow's hacking tricks to break into the police files. They'd had him in for questioning three times but couldn't find enough evidence to make anything stick, so he walked. The girl I found was too traumatized to even press charges against him. She was terrified he was going to kill her. He was gonna keep raping and killing girls unless someone stopped him. So I did."

Spike slid his hand under her chin and lifted her head to face him. "How many, luv?"

She blinked back fresh tears and whispered, "Not counting the four guards or the girl's date, I've killed six others."

"And they were all like the first bloke?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly. One guy was beating on his wife in an alley and she begged me to help her. Two were snatching children to sell into sex slavery and one was running the place the children were sent to. The last two were friends that would pick up girls in bars and take them out somewhere remote to take turns raping them then leave them for dead."

He slid off the bed and dropped to the floor next to her then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder. "Do you still love me, Spike? Can you?"

He pulled back to look at her. "Are you daft, woman? Of course I can love you. I do love you. This... what you do... you remove evil from the world, be it human or demon. That's a good thing, pet. A good thing.


	28. Chapter 28 Handsy

Not Long to Wait

Ch 28 – Handsy

Everyone was standing by the elevator waiting when Spike and Dawn emerged from the bedroom. Angel had Willow backed up to the wall and was nibbling on her neck, and Tony and Xander were looking over the dagger Xander was holding. Spike snagged his duster from the chair and shrugged into it then nodded at the group. "You're all goin'?"

Xander nodded. "Yeah, figured we'd help out in case there's more than just Alan."

Spike nodded. "Ta, mate. You do realize I plan to kill anyone with that git, right?"

Xander nodded. "Kinda figured that. I'm ok with it, Spike. What those people are doing is wrong even if they're doing it to vampires, and regular human justice isn't going to do anything, so we've got to."

Willow peeked out from behind Angel. "Do we have any kind of plan?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. I stroll into Alan's office and rip his throat out."

Tony snorted, "Right, Spike, and what about the brain dead piles of muscle he has around him all the time? You know, the ones who managed to knock you out and toss you in a trunk a few days ago?"

Spike scowled. "Yeah. Them. I killed at least one of 'em. Only reason they nicked me was one of 'em hit me with a soddin' taser."

Angel smiled. "So walking straight into his office is probably not the best plan."

Tony backed up and looked Angel and Xander over. Angel just looked blandly back at him and Xander squirmed a little. "Have you two ever done any stripping?"

Angel smiled. "No. Why?" Xander shuffled his feet and looked at the floor.

Spike snorted, "You were a stripper?"

Xander mumbled, "Yeah."

Tony chuckled, "That's a story for later. Anyway, Spike and I shouldn't go into the club through the front door because he's supposed to be dust and I've lost my job, not to mention Alan wants to kill me. So we'll have Angel and Xander go in and tell the bartender that they want jobs as strippers and he'll send them back to talk to Alan. The back door is just down the hall from his office so one of you can let the rest of us in."

Willow smiled as she let go of Angel and stepped toward Spike. "You and Tony can walk in the front door with the rest of us."

Spike smirked and Tony looked confused then Spike nodded at Willow and said, "Mojo us up, Red."

X

XXXX

X

Six people joined the line waiting to get into Club Stud. The first two in the group were a tall man with dark spiky hair holding the hand of a red-headed woman. The second pair consisted of a woman with waist length black hair vigorously kissing one with waist length platinum blonde hair. The last two were a tall shaggy haired man standing uncomfortably next to a tall woman with a brunette bob.

The dark-haired woman pushed the blonde woman up against the wall and started kissing down her neck and rubbing her hands over her chest. She ground up against her and the blonde woman growled.

Xander said, "Knock it off, you two. That's just weird."

The blonde woman smirked and said in a lilting, melodic voice, "What's the matter, whelp? Not enjoyin' the show?"

Dawn laughed and stepped back. "This is wicked cool. He looks like a woman but he still feels like Spike. I can feel his hard chest and... other things."

Xander squeaked, "TMI, Dawn! Didn't need to know that."

Spike laughed a high woman's laugh and looked at Willow. "Red's fault. She could've made me look like anybody, but here I am. A bird. Damn sexy one at that."

Dawn smacked him on the arm. "You're not allowed to ogle other women. Not even yourself."

Spike rubbed his arm. "Oi! Not like I can do anythin' about it!"

Willow smiled. "It's just a glamour. You look and sound like someone else but you're still the same underneath."

Spike smiled. "But birds, pet? Why'd you have to make us birds?"

Willow chuckled. "It's easier to do a glamour I've used before instead of writing a new one. I've used these several times so I have them memorized."

Angel looked at Willow. "When did you have to look like someone else?"

Willow smiled up at him. "In England doing work for the Council. I was trying to get information on a nest of demons and I didn't want to let them know what I really looked like in case they weren't exactly friendly."

Spike chuckled, "You know, Peaches, this has got to be a first for us."

Angel looked at him. "What?"

"Waitin' in line to kill sommat. Back in the day we'd have just stormed in and drained every sod in the place."

Dawn pinched his rear and Spike jumped. "We're trying to be quiet about it. Don't want any innocent people getting hurt if we can help it."

Xander looked over the people in the line and asked, "Won't it look weird for women to be going into a gay strip club?"

Tony flipped his brunette bob and chuckled, "No, we have women here all the time, but they usually hang around in the booths at the back because they're a little outnumbered at the stage. Except this one time… remember that bachelorette party, Spike?"

Spike laughed, "Yeah. That was a wild night. Thirty screamin' chits practically attackin' the dancers."

Tony laughed, "Man, the bouncers had our hands full that night. Remember how they had Carlos pinned in the corner? Poor guy was freaking out. Women always get handsier with the strippers than the men do."

Dawn turned and glared at Spike. "Handsy with the strippers, huh? Just how handsy?"

He pulled her into a kiss to a few lecherous looks from some of the people in the line. "They didn't get handsy with me, pet. I had the thing about touchin', remember? The bouncers were good about keepin' people away from me."

She murmured against his neck, "Good. Only person allowed to get handsy with you is me."

He smiled. "You're the only one I want, kitten."

Xander laughed, "But why do women come to a gay men's club?"

Tony looked at him. "Just because most of the strippers are gay doesn't mean they aren't as nice to look at as the strippers in straight clubs. They have all the same parts, you know."

Dawn smiled at Spike and rubbed him gently. "Nice parts."

Spike whispered, "Wait 'til I get you home, luv. I'll show you how nice my parts can be."

They finally got to the front of the line and Tony laughed as the bouncer checked Spike out when he sashayed into the club. Once they were inside, they made their way through the throng of people and gathered at the back near the bar where it was a little quieter. Tony leaned toward Spike. "The bouncer on the door was the one who called and told me about the garage pictures." Spike nodded. "And he checked you out hard when you walked in."

Spike laughed and cocked his hip out. "Well, I am a sexy lass. Can see why he's interested."

Dawn stepped in front of him and placed her hand on his chest. "Mine. I'll fight him if I have to."

Spike smiled. "Jealous little bird, aren't you?" He nuzzled against her neck. "You don't have to worry, kitten, I'm all yours."

Xander was standing next to Spike, shifting from foot to foot and trying his level best not to stare at the mostly naked man dancing around the stage. Spike nudged him. "It's ok to watch, Xander. Carlos is a nice lookin' bloke."

Xander's head flew up and he goggled at Spike. "What? I'm not gay! Not that there's anything wrong with it… but… I'm not! I like girls! Girls with boobies! Not gay!"

Spike shrugged. "Never said you were. Just sayin' there's nothin' wrong with enjoyin' a beautiful body."

Dawn tilted her head as she looked at Spike. "Are you saying that you've... been with a man?"

Spike smirked. "Vampire, luv."

Xander's gaze moved between Spike and Angel like he was watching a tennis match. "Have you two ever..."

The vampires looked at each other and smiled but didn't say anything. Xander sputtered, "Oh my God! You have!"

Spike shrugged. "Don't knock it 'till you've tried it. Nothin' wrong with it."

Xander looked at Spike as several emotions flittered across his face. Fortunately for Xander, no one noticed the look of lust that settled onto his features before he wiped it off and replaced it with an uncomfortable smile.

Willow looked between Spike and Angel, naughty pictures parading through her mind, and she blushed a furious red as her eyes dilated and her breathing got faster. She stepped closer to Angel and wrapped her arms around him then leaned up and licked his neck. He groaned when she lightly bit him then wrapped his arms around her and leaned down to nibble at her neck.

Dawn leaned into Spike and whispered, "You and Angel. Mmmm, that's so hot." She dropped her hand between them and rubbed him through his jeans, making him moan into her neck. "I don't have to worry about leaving the two of you alone, do I?"

Spike nibbled up her neck and whispered, "I don't cheat, pet. I'm yours and only yours."

Dawn pulled his ear close and whispered, "It's not cheating if I'm there too."

He pulled back and looked at her with a shocked expression. "Like a bit of kink, do ya?"

She smiled. "Maybe."

He leered at her, "I'll have to remember that," then pulled her into a deep kiss.

Xander looked at the two couples pawing and nibbling at each other then cast a sideways glance at Tony. Tony smiled at him and raised his eyebrows. Xander smiled weakly and said, "This is all very interesting, but it isn't why we're here. Where's the office?"

Tony pointed toward the hallway on their left. "It's the last door on the right down there. One of us should go check if he's in there." Tony elbowed Xander. "Go tell the bartender you want a job."

Xander sighed deeply then walked over to the bar and leaned over it. "Heard this place was hiring strippers. What do I have to do to get a job?"

The bartender motioned for him to back up and turn around then looked him over. Xander turned in a slow circle, blushing furiously as the bartender leered at him then pointed down the hallway. "Last door on the right. Name's Alan. Talk to him about it. Tell him Dave said you look delicious."

Xander's blush deepened and his cheeks felt like they were on fire when he nodded and sputtered, "Thanks."

He walked back over to the group and nodded toward the hallway. "He's there. Let's go." The couples peeled apart and they all walked down the hallway. Angel reached out and knocked on the door.

An angry voice called out, "What?"


	29. Chapter 29 Done and Done

Not Long to Wait

Ch 29 – Done and Done

Angel opened the door and they filed into the office, stopping in the middle of the small room next to a large blood stain on the floor that had been haphazardly covered with a threadbare rug. Alan was sitting behind his beat up desk smoking a cigar, and two large men were sitting in chairs against the wall. Spike whispered, "Only two left, guess I killed two of 'em."

Alan looked over the group and growled, "What the hell do all of you want?" Xander closed the door and turned the lock then leaned back against it. Alan leaned over and glared at him. "What the hell did you do that for?"

Angel walked casually over to an empty chair and dropped down, pulling Willow down onto his lap. "We came to talk to you, Alan, and we don't want to be disturbed during our discussion." He moved her hair back from her neck and started nibbling as his hand slipped under her shirt and caressed her back.

Alan looked around the room at everyone, trying to figure out if he knew who any of these people were. The two dark-haired men didn't look familiar at all, nor did any of the women except for the woman with the black hair. He watched warily as the blonde woman walked over to his associates then bent down and _sniffed them?_ She nodded then walked over to the black haired woman and whispered, "They're the ones."

The black haired woman smiled at her then kissed her gently before she walked forward and perched on the edge of his desk, pulling her duster close around her. "You look like you know me. Do you?"

Alan nodded. "You look like one of the strippers from across the street. What're you doing here?"

She smiled. "Came to talk to you about my boyfriend. His name's Spike. You might know him as White Boy."

Alan's eyes got wide and he glanced quickly at his thugs. "What about him? He was in about a week and a half ago, probably won't see him again for a while." He leered at the blonde. "Don't look like you're missing him very much."

The blonde wrapped her arms around the black haired woman and nuzzled against her neck then smiled at Alan. "We just came to see what you know about him. We think he's been kidnapped."

Alan snorted, "Now why would you ladies think that?"

Dawn grinned evilly at Alan then nodded at Willow. "Because you kidnapped him."

Alan shook his head. "Don't know what you're talking about." He watched the redhead get up and take the blonde and brunette woman aside then start talking to them quietly. The two thugs eyed them warily but didn't get up. They were just women so they didn't really pose much of a threat, and the biggest guy of the two was leaning back in the chair, smiling at the redhead like he didn't have a care in the world. The other guy was almost as big, but was still a lot smaller than the thugs. He was dressed in a loose flannel shirt and loose jeans that made him look smaller than he really was as he leaned against the door like he was waiting for a bus.

Dawn looked at Alan who was staring intently at the three women. "Sure you do, Alan. You knocked him out, threw him in your trunk, and took him out to The Ranch."

Angel turned his head as he heard Alan's heart speed up. "Well, if you know so damn much, then why don't you know The Ranch is gone? One of my bouncers burned the fucking place to the ground and killed everybody out there. I ever find that little prick I'm gonna kill him." *_She didn't even flinch when I told her that her boyfriend was dead. Something's not right here.*_

Dawn looked around the dingy office at the beat-up, mismatched furniture, then looked closely at Alan. He had a scraggly beard and bad teeth, and was wearing ill-fitting clothes and a ratty baseball cap. He squirmed a little under her intense gaze and tried to glare at her. She smiled as something occurred to her._ *He sure doesn't look like the sharpest knife in the drawer.* _She shifted a little on the desk and said, "Oh, I know it's gone, I was just wondering how you came up with the idea to force vampires to take the abuse of your sick clients. You don't seem smart enough to come up with that on your own, so who else is in it with you?"

One of the thugs started to get up and Dawn stood and whipped the duster back, exposing the pistols on her thighs. She placed her hands on them and growled, "Sit down or I'll blow your fucking head right off."

The thug looked at Alan who nodded quickly. He dropped back into his chair and glared at her. Alan looked up at Dawn and said, "Who are you and why do you care what happens to vamps? They're not even human."

She gripped her pistols as she clenched her teeth and glared at him, "Doesn't matter who I am, and I care because my boyfriend is a vampire. What you did to him and all the others is wrong, and you're gonna die for it. So tell me who else is in this with you and you'll die fast."

Alan raised his hands and stammered, "Hold on! Killing me won't bring him back. I didn't kill him anyway, that fucking bouncer did when he burned down the building."

Dawn leaned closer and snarled, "That's not what I asked. Who else is in this with you?"

Alan leaned back in his chair to get away from her and stammered, "I can't tell you. He'll kill me."

Dawn looked up at the ceiling and sighed, "Maybe I wasn't clear. **We're** going to kill you, so you don't have to worry about anybody else. Now tell me who it is."

Alan's heart was racing and he was desperately trying to think of a way out of this that would leave him alive. *_I knew that fucking house was gonna come back and bite me.* _He singsonged in his head. *_"It'll be fine," he says, "Nobody will care because they're only vampires," he says. Yeah right. Now I've got some psycho bitch sitting on my desk, threatening to kill me over her fucking vamp boyfriend.* _He sucked in a ragged breath and almost screamed, "It's the bouncer! His name's Tony. He's the one! He's in charge of the whole thing! I had nothing to do with the house; I just brought him the vamps! I don't even know what went on there! I haven't been able to find him yet, but I'll help if you'll let me live."

Dawn laughed and pulled her pistols then held them up and looked at them lovingly before she reseated them in their holsters. Alan and the thugs were so busy watching Dawn that they didn't see the small flash of light coming from the women over in the corner or notice that two of the women were now men.

Dawn looked at Alan. "First you tell me that this bouncer burned the place to the ground, and now you're telling me he was the one in charge? That doesn't make sense, Alan. No sense at all."

Alan sputtered, "I... I... um… he was the one in charge! It was the bouncer!"

Dawn turned and pulled someone forward. "You mean this bouncer? This the one you're talking about?"

Tony waved at Alan then chuckled, "So I was the one in charge? Seriously? That's the best you could come up with?"

The two thugs surged to their feet and Dawn pulled both pistols and aimed at their heads. "What fucking part of sit your ass down isn't getting through?"

They stayed on their feet and their eyes got huge when Spike stepped around Dawn and growled, "I'd sit. She's not even close to kiddin'."

They dropped back down into their chairs as Alan screamed and pushed his chair back against the wall behind him. "You! You're dead!"

Spike laughed, "Well yeah, have been for over a bleedin' century, mate." Suddenly Alan was out of his chair and pinned against the wall with a snarling vampire at his throat. "Who helped you, Alan?"

Alan whined and tried to lean away from Spike's fangs. "I… I... can't tell you."

Spike growled and sliced a fang quickly across Alan's throat then licked at the blood dripping from the wound. "I can make this fast, or I can take my time. Your choice."

Alan started struggling and Spike pulled him away from the wall then slammed him back into it. Alan moaned as his head bounced off the wall and he gasped, "Fine. Fine. I'll tell you. Just don't hurt me."

Spike licked more blood from Alan's neck. "Oh, it's gonna hurt, mate. That's a given. Your only choice is for how long."

Alan shuddered as Spike's tongue rasped along the cut on his neck then he stammered, "His name's Bill. He owns the Stallion about three blocks over. He was the one who came up with the vampire idea. He'd found one and kept it in the basement and tortured it for weeks before it finally managed to break a chair and stake itself. He came to me because I owned the old hotel that he said would be perfect for this new _business venture_. He had most of the clients already lined up and chomping at the bit, all I had to do was fix up the building and find the vamps."

Spike nodded and snarled, "Fast it is."

Alan screamed in a high pitched wail, "Wait! Wait! Can't we talk about this? I've got money!"

Spike chuckled around his fangs, "Dosh? That's the best you can do?" He shook his head and growled, "Not gonna cut it, mate."

Alan pushed his hands against Spike's shoulders but didn't budge him. "Isn't there anything I can give you so you won't kill me?"

Spike pulled back to look at him thoughtfully for a minute then shook his head and smirked. "Nope, can't think of a thing." His head whipped forward lightning fast and his fangs sank deep into Alan's throat. Alan screamed and scrabbled at Spike's head trying to push him away.

The thugs rose out of their chairs again, one going for Dawn and the other moving sideways, heading for Spike. The pistol in Dawn's right hand jumped and the thug flew back into his chair with his brains splattered all over the wall behind him. He slipped out of the chair onto the floor as she turned toward the one heading for Spike, moving the pistol in her left hand. She was about to squeeze the trigger when a blur of movement passed in front of her and pinned the thug to the wall.

Angel turned to look at Dawn. "Got him."

Dawn growled, "Well don't just stand there. Kill him."

Angel looked over at Willow. She smiled at him as she walked over and stepped close, whispering in his ear, "He helped hurt Spike and all those others. I'm ok with it." Angel nodded and backed up a step then reached up and violently snapped the thug's neck. He dropped to the floor with a loud thump and Angel stepped over him and wrapped his arms around Willow.

Alan's screams got quieter and finally faded out altogether as Spike pulled the last of the blood from his veins. Spike raised his head and roared as he dropped the body to the floor with a meaty thud. He turned and saw the thugs dead on the floor and grinned around his fangs, "Done and done. Anyone fancy a drink?"


	30. Chapter 30 Killing Bill

Not Long to Wait

Ch 30 – Killing Bill

Xander waved his hands around at the bodies and the mess on the wall. "We just going to leave it like this?"

Spike snorted, "I've lived with you, Harris. Mr. Clean you're not. You all of a sudden care about a mess?"

Xander glared at him. "Half the damn club saw us walk in here and most of us weren't glamoured, Bleach Boy. Dusting vampires is one thing; they don't leave behind any evidence. Killing humans is a whole different ball game. The cops may be mostly useless, but I sure don't want to end up in prison for this if they grow a brain and… I don't know… check out the surveillance tapes? This place has cameras, you know."

Willow stepped away from Angel and said, "Everyone, close your eyes." She moved to the center of the room and lifted her arms as she started chanting. Soft yellow light flowed from her hands and wrapped around the bodies and covered the mess on the wall, then flowed around the room lingering on several different spots. Her chanting got slightly louder then the light blinked out with a bright flash. "Ok, I'm done."

Everybody opened their eyes and Tony gasped, "Where'd they go?"

Willow smiled. "Another dimension. It's a spell I found to send things from this dimension to a different one, kind of like a clean-up spell."

Spike looked around the room and smiled when he noticed the bloodstain on the floor was gone. "Which dimension did you send 'em to?"

Willow shrugged. "Not sure. Don't even know if it's the same one each time. I have to change the spell to cover whatever I'm trying to get rid of, so that might change the dimension it ends up in."

Xander laughed, "So you could've just dropped three bodies on some unsuspecting demons somewhere?"

Willow giggled, "Yeah, I guess so."

Tony walked behind the desk and dropped into Alan's chair. "So now what? What happens to the club? There's a lot of people who are going to be hurting if this place shuts down because Alan's gone missing."

Angel pulled out his phone. "I can have my firm draw up papers that say Alan sold you the club."

Dawn looked at Tony. "You can run the place, can't you?"

Tony nodded with wide eyes. "Yeah, I can, but everybody here knows I've been fired. I'm pretty sure they all heard Alan screaming about wanting to kill me, and I don't think they're going to believe that he just left me in charge."

Angel flipped his phone open. "I'll handle it. By tomorrow everyone will forget you've been fired and will think you've owned the place for the last week."

Xander snorted, "And just how do you plan to do that, Dead Boy?"

Spike smirked. "He runs a previously evil law firm, remember? He's probably got witches or mages or whatnot that could make you think you're soddin' Bugs Bunny – ears n' all. Let's get that drink."

Tony stood and shook his head. "I can't go out there. Not looking like this."

Spike smirked. "Wasn't thinkin' about stayin' here, mate. Thought we'd pop in at the Stallion. Talk to Bill. Kill Bill. Get a drink."

Angel closed his phone and dropped it back into his pocket. "I'll call the firm after we're done at the Stallion."

Xander chuckled, "Sounds like a plan, Stan. Let's go."

X

XXXX

X

The line of people waiting to get into the Stallion stretched down the block. Spike growled as the group stopped across the street from the club. "This is gonna take ages. There's gotta be another way into this place."

Dawn pulled him toward the alley. "Let's check around back." They walked down the alley between the buildings, listening to the thumping music coming from the club. Dawn looked over her shoulder at Tony. "What kind of club is this, anyway?"

Tony shrugged. "Never been inside, but from what I hear, it's a fetish club."

Xander stopped. "A what club?"

Spike turned around and smirked. "Fetish. Place people go to indulge their fantasies."

"Like what?"

Spike shrugged. "Could be a lot of things. Some people have a yen for feet, some for feathers or leather. Could be bondage or S&M. Knew a bloke once liked bein' nappied."

Xander snorted, "Nappied? What the hell's that?"

Angel laughed, "It's Spikese for diaper."

Xander shuddered. "Ok, that's just weird."

Spike shrugged. "He seemed to enjoy it and he wasn't hurtin' anyone. To each his own."

Willow pointed up. "Look. There's a window open on the second floor. Maybe we could get in that way."

Spike nudged her as he winked at Dawn. "You're turnin' into a right delinquent, pet. 'Fore you know it; you'll be nickin' things from shops."

Dawn smacked him in the chest. "I was not a delinquent, I was... troubled. You try having the Slayer for a sister and see how screwed up you get."

Spike scooped her up and kissed her. "Just playin', luv." He looked up at the window and smiled. "You ready?" She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Tony looked at Spike holding Dawn then up at the window. "Ready for what?"

Spike smirked. "This." Dawn squealed as he launched himself into the air and latched onto the window sill. He braced his feet against the side of the building as Dawn slid through the window then he pulled himself through. He turned and poked his head out. "Comin', Peaches?"

Angel pulled Willow into a kiss, murmuring against her lips, "See you soon. Love you," then launched himself up and through the window.

Tony was still goggling at the empty window when Willow clapped her hands in front of his face. "Tony! Hey!" He blinked and looked at her. "We should go get in line. Don't think they'll be coming out this way."

Tony sputtered, "How... how did they do that?"

Xander laughed and shrugged, "They're vampires."

X

XXXX

X

The room on the other side of the window was occupied. By mannequins. Dozens of mannequins in various states of undress. Dawn wrinkled up her nose and made a face as the thick smell of plastic invaded her nostrils. "God, it stinks in here! No wonder they've got the window open. The smell would make you pass out before you'd been in here five minutes!"

Spike nodded toward a bed in the corner of the room. "That bloke doesn't seem to be havin' a problem."

Dawn looked over at the bed and saw a man doing... things… to a female mannequin. He looked up at them with lust glazed eyes and smiled faintly then continued without sparing them a second glance.

Dawn snagged Spike's hand and dragged him toward the door. "Let's get out of here."

They burst into the hallway and headed toward the booming music coming from the first floor. Angel stopped them at the top of the stairs. "I should go down first. I'll find out if Bill's here and come back to get you."

Spike tilted his head. "Why?"

Dawn nodded at Angel then turned to Spike. "Bill's probably seen you. If he was working with Alan, he probably wanted to look you over before they put you to _work._"

Spike nodded. "Good point. We'll be here, Peaches."

Angel walked down the stairs and stopped at the bottom, looking around the room before heading off to the left. Spike leaned back against the wall and Dawn leaned against him, nibbling lightly at his neck. He growled low in his chest as she slipped her hands under his shirt and scratched her nails down his stomach. His hands slipped inside her duster and slid down to her hips to pull her close. She ground against him and he moaned, "You're 'bout to make me forget why we're here, luv."

She dropped her hand and started rubbing him through his jeans. "We're killing Bill."

"Right." He growled against her neck as his hand moved to the button of her jeans. He popped it and started sliding the zipper down only to be stopped by her pistol belt. "Bloody thing." She reached down and snapped the pistols securely into their holsters then unbuckled the belt and let it dangle from the thigh straps. He dragged his fangs lightly across her neck and murmured, "Ta, pet," then pulled the zipper the rest of the way down and slipped his hand inside. She gasped and clutched his shoulders as he quickly buried his fingers deep into her core and started pumping.

He turned his wrist slightly and worked his thumb as she panted and moaned against his shoulder. He backed her across the hallway and pressed her into the wall then tugged her jeans down until the pistols hit the floor with a thud. He looked down and frowned at her jeans bunched up at the top of her boots. "You should wear skirts all the time, pet. Makes this easier."

Dawn laughed and unsnapped one thigh strap then pulled her jeans back up. "My guns don't really go with a skirt."

Spike pouted, "Bugger."

Dawn took his hand and placed it on her waist. "Feel that?"

He slid his fingers along the waistband of her jeans and smiled when they found a zipper. He held the waistband with one hand and tugged the zipper down with the other. The jeans came apart and fell away from her, completely baring one leg and hanging off her other leg, held up by the thigh strap of the pistol belt. He stepped close and buried his fingers in her heat as he nipped at her neck. "Where'd you find jeans that have a zipper all the way up the leg?"

She moaned as his fingers pumped faster, "Stripper, remember?" She lifted her bare leg and wrapped it around his hip as she popped the buttons of his jeans and pulled him out.

He slid into her with a slow thrust and a loud moan. She lifted her other leg and he hooked his arms under her knees, bracing his hands against the wall as he thrust into her hard and fast. She was panting and calling his name as he drove into her, making the pistols bang against the wall with each thrust. She pulled his head to her neck as her body tensed, and he sank his fangs deep as she screamed his name and clenched all around him. He lifted his head and roared at the ceiling as he released deep inside her then collapsed against her, panting and twitching.

He was gently licking the blood from her neck when he heard the door next to them open. His head flew up and he looked over in full game face with blood on his fangs as a man stepped over the threshold. The man stopped in the middle of the hallway and looked at Dawn pressed against the wall with Spike still buried deep then grinned and gave them a thumbs up. "Vampire fetish and chicks with guns fetish at the same time. That's awesome!" He punched Spike on the shoulder and made his wobbly way down the stairs.

Dawn burst into giggles and Spike snorted and muttered, "Humans." He pulled out and set Dawn back on her feet then leaned in and kissed her as his fingers played gently with her drenched curls. "Why're we here again?"

She giggled into his mouth and whispered, "Killing Bill." She pushed him back far enough to zip her jeans back together then pulled him close and stroked him as she tucked him back into his jeans and did up the buttons. She pulled up her pistol belt and was just buckling it when Angel appeared at the top of the stairs.

He looked at them then sniffed and smirked. "Here? In the hallway of a fetish club?"

Spike smirked at him and shrugged. "What can I say, Peaches? She's my fetish."

Dawn giggled as she bent down to fasten the thigh strap. "And he's mine. Got a problem with that, Peaches?"

Angel laughed and pointed at Dawn, "Don't you start calling me that, it's bad enough he does," then nodded back over his shoulder. "Bill's office is downstairs. The bartender told me he's there, so let's go."

They walked down the stairs and Angel hung a left at the bottom and started walking down the dark hallway next to the stairs. There was a curtained alcove under the stairs and as they passed a crack in the curtain Dawn elbowed Spike and smiled. He looked where she indicated and saw a grown man on a table being diapered by a tall blonde woman. Spike smirked. "Told ya, pet."

The man on the table groaned as the woman did something under the diaper. Dawn reached down and gave Spike a squeeze then whispered in his ear. "You'll have to tell me what kinds of things you like."

He pulled her close. "You, luv. I like you. Anythin' you do to me, I like."

She smirked. "Anything, huh?"

He tilted his head at her as Angel stopped and knocked on a door. A gruff voice shouted, "Come in!"

Angel pushed the door open and quickly scanned the room then whispered, "Bill and three others."

Spike nodded and followed Angel through the door with Dawn behind him. She unsnapped the pistols and pulled her duster over them as she stepped through the door then closed it behind her.


	31. Chapter 31 Meat Statues

Not Long to Wait

Ch 31 – Meat Statues

The small man behind the huge, polished, mahogany desk didn't even look up at them as they entered. He flipped a page of the document he was reading and waved his hand in the air as he said, "Something I can help you with?"

Angel looked at Spike then shrugged and reached into his coat, pulling out a business card that he held out to the man behind the desk. Dawn flipped her hair back over her shoulder then turned so her back was to Spike's and looked across the room at the three other people. There were two women in smart business suits and a man wearing what looked like Armani sitting in chairs along the back wall of the office. One woman was typing quickly on a laptop while the other read to her from a document. The man was intently shuffling papers around in an open briefcase sitting on his lap.

The man behind the desk held out the hand not full of legal document and took the card from Angel. "I'm Bill, and you are?"

Angel stepped back. "I'm from Wolfram and Hart in Los Angeles." The man with the briefcase snapped his head up and stared at Angel's back as soon as he heard the firm's name. Angel nodded to Spike and Dawn. "These are my associates. We'd like to talk to you about one of your business ventures."

Bill barely glanced at Spike and Dawn before his eyes settled on the card in his hand. "Angel? That's it?"

Angel nodded with a small smirk. "That's it."

The man in the chair jerked and his briefcase clattered noisily to the floor. Angel's nose twitched as he turned around to look at him and he growled when their eyes met. Spike's eyebrow rose as he looked at Angel and whispered, "You know that bloke?"

Angel was across the room and had his hands fisted in the man's suit jacket before Spike had even finished speaking. Spike shrugged. "Guess so." Angel hauled the man to his feet as his demon made an appearance.

The laptop crashed to the floor buried in a pile of paper as the two women screamed and scrambled away from the snarling vampire. Dawn slid over in front of the door and pulled her duster back then pointed at the chairs. "Sit." The women froze and stared at her wide-eyed until she started pulling one of her pistols. They were back in their chairs clinging to each other before the muzzle had even cleared the holster. Dawn smiled at the women and dropped the pistol back down then leaned against the door, reaching behind her to turn the lock.

Spike stepped up beside Angel and smirked at the man dangling above the floor. "Care to explain, mate?"

Angel dropped the man back into his chair and stepped back. "Actually, I'd like Tompkins here to explain why three of my employees are here with that scum."

Tompkins sputtered, "Mr. Angel, sir, I had no idea you were going to be here! We're just doing a simple contract negotiation for a property purchase. We cleared this with Mr. Wyndam-Pryce before we left."

Bill finally looked up from the document in his hand as he dropped the paper to the desktop. He leaned back in his chair and smirked over toward Angel. "When you're done with whatever it is you're doing, maybe you could tell me which venture you were interested in. I'm a busy man and don't have the time or the patience to put up with this shit."

Angel growled at Tompkins, "Don't move. I want to talk to you when I'm finished here." He leashed the demon and turned to look at Bill then growled out, "The Ranch."

Bill sat forward, lacing his fingers together on the spartan desktop, and looked warily at Angel. "What about it?"

Angel stepped toward him and snarled, "Not what. Why?" He pounded his fist through the top of the desk, showering Bill with splinters of polished wood, and shouted, "Why are you kidnapping vampires and having them tortured?"

Tompkins jumped and the women clutched each other a little tighter. Spike chuckled at them then walked over to Dawn and leaned in to give her a kiss. She slid her hands inside his duster and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him against her, then slipped them under his shirt and lightly scratched his back. He pushed her hair back from her neck and softly nipped at the skin with blunt teeth.

Bill ignored everyone as he sized Angel up with a half smile on his face. *_He doesn't look much like a lawyer. The card said he was CEO. Big deal. So he's in charge of some law firm all the way out in LA. This is my town, and I don't think he knows who he's dealing with. And he is going to be buying me a new desk.*_

Bill shrugged as he leaned back in his chair. "Money. Why else? People pay a lot to get their rocks off hurting other people and humans can't take it for very long. I lost quite a few before I came across a vampire and found out how strong they are and how much they can take. They're cheap to feed, don't require medical care, and as long as the client doesn't stake them, they'll last for years. Of course, I always demand a large restocking fee if the client does dust them during the course of their **playtime**."

Angel scowled like he had a bad taste in his mouth then turned around and growled at Spike, "He's all yours. Make it hurt."

Spike pulled Dawn into a kiss then peeled away from her and turned around to walk toward the desk. Bill's eyes went wider as Spike got closer. He pushed his chair backwards away from Spike, his finger wavering in the air as he pointed. "Alan told me you were dust! He said you burned in the cells with the rest of the stock!" His foot slid across the floor and tapped a button hidden under the desk, but not quite hard enough to activate the alarm.

Spike sneered as he stepped around the desk. "Alan was mistaken. Not the first time for that, I'd wager."

Bill squeaked as his chair butted up against the wall and stopped moving. He grasped the arms of the chair and tried to push himself further into it as Spike sauntered slowly toward him, shifting into game face. He licked his fangs and his amber eyes glinted with blood-lust as he snarled, "He won't ever be mistaken again, mate."

Bill stuttered, "W... ww… why?" as his foot shot out and tapped repeatedly on the button. *_Where are those idiots? They should be here by now!*_

Spike leaned down and whispered, "Let me show you," then jerked Bill violently out of the chair, savagely sinking his fangs deep as Bill screamed and flapped his hands uselessly against Spike's back. The women screamed again as they watched Spike roughly pull mouthfuls of blood. They shot nervous glances at Angel as he stood in front of the desk with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

Spike pulled mouthful after mouthful until Bill's screams tapered off and finally quit altogether. His eyes glazed over and his arms fell to his sides as Spike pulled the last of his blood then let the body slide to the floor. He threw his head back and roared loudly enough to rattle the decorative glasses on the shelf by his head then he turned and swiped his hand across his chin as his demon faded.

He walked quickly over to Dawn and pulled her into a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, tasting Bill's blood in his mouth until she had to break away to catch her breath. He lifted her up and pressed her against the door, grinding into her as he nipped up her neck and whispered in her ear, "God, pet, do you have any idea how long it's been since I drained a human? Now I've the blood of two of 'em runnin' through me and I'm harder than Chinese Algebra." She reached down between them and squeezed hard, smiling at the low growl she heard. She rubbed him as he moaned and buried his face in her neck, "Let's get out of here. I'm gonna shag you silly."

The door suddenly rattled in the frame as someone pounded on it from the other side. "Bill! Open up! Are you all right?"

Spike lifted his head from Dawn's neck and scowled at the door. "Bollocks." He set Dawn back on her feet then turned to Angel in full game face. "Ready, Peaches?"

Angel turned to face the door as Dawn and Spike moved to stand beside him. Dawn pulled her pistols and thumbed the safeties off as Angel shifted to game face. The lawyers pressed back into their chairs, trying to become one with the furniture.

The door crashed open and four men burst through, stopping short when they saw the fangs and the guns. One shouted, "Where's Bill?"

Spike nodded over his shoulder and snarled, "Dead. Care to join 'im?"

The four men lunged forward and... froze? Their hands were raised and clenched into fists and their faces were screwed into scowls, but they weren't breathing or blinking. Angel and Spike looked at each other as Dawn stepped forward and poked the closest one in the forehead with the muzzle of her pistol. She looked over her shoulder at Spike. "I can't move him."

Willow stepped through the door followed by Xander and Tony. "That's because I froze them. They probably weren't involved with the Ranch so they shouldn't die because their boss was. They were just coming to protect him because it's their job."

Angel walked over and wrapped her up then pulled her into a kiss. "Thanks, Willow."

Spike flicked the nose of the one closest to him. "You sure they're not dead? They're not breathin.'"

Willow shook her head and laughed, "No, they're fine. Just frozen. And don't flick their noses. That's not nice, Spike."

Spike chuckled, "I've just drained two people and Red's naggin' me 'bout bein' **nice**."

Dawn holstered her pistols and looked at Willow. "How'd you get in here so fast? That line was halfway across the planet."

Willow smiled. "I did a spell that made us hard to see and we just slipped in past the bouncer."

Spike growled, "And you couldn't do that earlier, 'stead of turnin' me into a bird?"

Willow laughed. "Sorry, Spike. I didn't think of it until a few minutes ago."

Dawn pulled Willow behind the desk and pointed at Bill's crumpled body slumped on the floor in front of his chair. "Can you do that clean-up spell and get rid of him?"

Willow nodded as Dawn walked back around the desk. "Everyone close your eyes."

She started to raise her arms and Xander said, "Hold up, Wils. The meat statues here can't close their eyes. What do we do about that?"

Willow looked over and said, "Just stand in front of them or cover their eyes. The light from the spell isn't harmful, it's just bright. It shouldn't hurt them."

Once the frozen men's eyes were covered, everyone closed their eyes and Willow started chanting. The light flowed from her hands and wrapped around Bill then flashed and blinked him away. She turned around and said, "I'm done."

Tony pointed to the lawyers sitting in the chairs staring at the frozen men. "Who are they?"

Angel motioned Tompkins forward and said, "They work for me."

Tompkins jumped up and stopped in front of Angel. "Yes, sir?"

Angel turned and pulled Tony forward. "Tompkins, this is Tony. You're going to draw up paperwork that makes him the owner of this club and Club Stud about three blocks over. Backdate the purchase one week and the employees at both clubs will need to have their memories altered to fit this scenario. Get a team down here to make this happen. Use the jet. You have rooms here in town, right?"

Tompkins nodded at Angel then looked at Tony and extended his hand. "Looking forward to working with you, sir."

Tony shook his hand then turned to Angel. "Uh… thanks, Angel, but I don't know the first thing about running a fetish club. This is the first time I've ever been in one."

Angel smiled and clapped him on the back then nodded to Tompkins. "He'll handle that. Go with them to the hotel and fill him in on the particulars so he can get the paperwork started while you wait for the rest of the team. You'll be the proud owner of both clubs by tomorrow afternoon."

Tony nodded at Angel while the lady lawyers gathered up their belongings and headed for the door. Angel looked at Tompkins and said, "Anything he needs, you get. Clear?"

Tompkins nodded, "Yes, Mr. Angel," then ushered a dazed looking Tony out the door and pulled it closed behind him.

Spike clapped his hands together. "Right then. All sorted."

Dawn walked up behind Spike and wrapped her arms around him, rubbing her hands over his chest. He turned around and pulled her into a kiss then backed her up to the desk and lifted her up to sit on it. He leaned in and started nibbling on her neck as his hand slipped under her shirt.

Xander yelped, "Hey! Get a room or something! And everything is not _**sorted**__. _Did you forget about the four statues?" He poked one on the shoulder. "What do we do with them?"

Spike looked around and smirked, "This **is** a room," as Dawn wrapped her hands in the duster lapels and pulled him close then started nipping at his neck. He moaned low and ground into her as he pinched her nipple.

Willow laughed, "Don't worry, the spell will break when I get far enough away from them."

Xander looked at Willow. "That's it? We just leave and they thaw out or unfreeze or whatever?"

Willow nodded just as Spike screamed, "Bloody hell!" Everyone's heads whipped around to see Dawn's teeth embedded in Spike's neck with blood pouring from her mouth and flowing down his chest. Her lips were pulled back in a rictus of pain, clearly showing her teeth buried to the gums in his flesh. He was grasping her shoulders and trying to push her away, but her entire body was stiff and seemed to be locked in position. Her hands were fisted in his coat with a white knuckle grip, and her eyes were rolling around wildly in their sockets.

Angel stepped up next to Spike and tried to move her head, but he couldn't get her to budge. Her body went suddenly limp and Spike was about to pull her teeth out of his neck when she seized again. Her body arched backwards as she fell to the desk with a thump, taking a good sized chunk of Spike with her. Her jaw snapped tightly shut with Spike's flesh pinned between her teeth and he clapped his hand to his torn neck as she started thrashing. He moved to her side and tried to hold her head still so it would stop banging on the desk, but he couldn't manage it one-handed. He let go of his neck and clamped his bloody hand to the side of her head, holding it still while the rest of her body clenched and skittered around the desk.

After several long minutes, the thrashing started to taper off and her body started to relax. Finally her body stilled and she opened her mouth to take a deep breath then reached up and clutched at her throat. Her eyes flew open in panic as she scrabbled at her throat and opened and closed her mouth, gaping like a fish out of water. Spike snagged her hands as he bent over her and looked in her mouth. The piece of his neck was stuck in the back of her throat.

He looked into her panicked eyes as he spoke in a low, calm voice, "Dawn, I need to reach into your mouth. Try to keep still and not bite me, yeah?" She gave the tiniest of nods and he held her chin with one hand while he reached two fingers into her mouth and snagged the bit of flesh that was blocking her airway. He pulled it out and she immediately sat up and started gagging and coughing. She leaned over the side of the desk and spit out a mouthful of Spike's blood then laid back down with her eyes closed, breathing hard.

Spike stood next to her, gently brushing her hair back from her face while his other hand rested on her belly. The ragged tear in his flesh was still leaking blood that was dripping down his neck and soaking into his t-shirt. Xander tapped him gently on the shoulder. "I'll go round up a first aid kit." Spike nodded and Xander weaved through the meat statues and out of the room.

Dawn slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him then bolted up and clapped her hand to his neck. "What happened, Spike? Why are you bleeding?"

He placed his hand over hers and whispered, "You had a seizure or somethin' and nipped a bit out of my neck. Are you ok? What was that?"

She lifted her hand and looked at the hole in his neck and the blood soaking his shirt then leaned her head on his chest. "I don't know. The last thing I remember is pulling you close and thinking about how good you smell."

Willow stepped up next to Spike. "Have you ever had a seizure before?"

Dawn shook her head. "No, not that I know of." She lifted her head. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Spike."

He leaned down and kissed her gently. "S'ok, kitten. I'm fine. Just worried 'bout you. You feel all right? Anythin' hurt?"

She slowly stood and walked around the office, raising her arms over her head and rolling her shoulders until she was standing behind the desk. "No. Actually, I feel great. Strong." She turned and faced the brick wall behind the desk then unleashed a flurry of punches, pulverizing the brick and making a fair sized hole in the side of the building. She turned and faced the group, holding up her hands. They weren't even scratched. "I'm stronger. A lot stronger than I was a little while ago."

Spike walked around the desk and took her hands in his, rubbing his thumbs over them slowly. "Why, Bit? What's happened to you?"

She looked down at her hands then over at the hole in the wall and took a deep breath. "I think I've been Called."


	32. Chapter 32 Didn't See a Damn Thing

Not Long to Wait

Ch 32 – Didn't See a Damn Thing

Spike suddenly shuddered. He could feel it. Tiny spider legs crawling up his spine and pricking at the back of his neck. Every fiber of his being screaming at him to fight or run. Screaming _**Slayer**__._ He looked over at Angel and asked, "You feel that?"

Angel nodded. "Yeah."

Xander walked back into the office carrying a first aid kit and walked over to the desk. He set the kit down then opened it and started pulling out bandages. He walked over to Spike and looked at his neck then looked at the bandages in his hand and walked back over to the desk.

Spike looked at Dawn with an expression of unmitigated awe. "You're the Slayer."

Xander dropped the bandage he was holding and yelped, "What?"

Willow shook her head. "Wait. She can't be! She wasn't one of the potentials. How can she be Called if she wasn't a potential?"

Spike snorted, "Potential or not, Angel and I can feel 'er. She's the Slayer." He raised his hand and cupped her chin. "Can you feel us, pet?"

Dawn closed her eyes and tilted her head a little. "Yeah, I think so. It's kinda tingly."

Spike smiled. "Let's try somethin'. You stand here." He led her to the middle of the room in between the meat statues. "Ok, close your eyes. Angel and I will move about and you see if you can tell where we are."

Dawn stood with her eyes closed and Spike nodded to Angel. They both moved with vampire speed and stealth to different parts of the room. Xander blinked as Spike zipped by him and leapt silently onto a small table in the corner. Willow's hair rustled as Angel took off and slipped quickly into a closet. Both vampires went deathly still and waited. Dawn's head tilted then her arm came up and she pointed directly at Angel. Her head turned and her other arm rose and pointed at Spike. Spike chuckled, "Good, pet. Once more. Ready?" She nodded and they moved again. This time, Spike moved to one of the chairs the lady lawyers had been sitting in and dropped into it with no sound. Angel moved out of the closet and leapt over the desk, crouching down behind it.

Dawn raised her arm and pointed to Angel then turned and started walking with her eyes closed until she was standing in front of Spike. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Found you."

He stood then pulled her close to him. "Yeah, you did. Did you hear us or sense us?"

"Sensed you. All I heard was Xander messing with the first aid kit and him and Willow breathing."

Xander walked over to Spike holding a large bandage and a roll of tape. "If you're done with vamp hide and seek, let me get this on you. Your neck looks completely gross."

Spike tilted his head and stood quietly while Xander taped the bandage to his neck. "Has it stopped bleedin'?"

Xander nodded. "Looks like."

Dawn looked at him with eyes full of concern. "Does it hurt?"

Spike shook his head and smiled. "Not much, kitten. I'm full up on blood, so I'll be fine in a few hours. What does your vamp-sense feel like?"

She smiled. "The back of my neck gets tingly and there's kind of a tickle in the back of my mind."

He nodded toward Angel. "Can you tell us apart?"

She nodded. "Yeah, your tickle is different from Angel's. His seems a little stronger too."

Spike grinned. "Well, he is a lot older than I am." Angel scowled and Spike chuckled. "We'll have to go patrol and see if you can sense younger vamps."

She started for the door and he pulled her back to him and wrapped his arms around her. "Not right now, pet. I'm covered in fresh blood. I always like a good fight, but I don't feel like takin' on every vamp in town." He leaned close and licked across her neck as he whispered, "Not when I could be doin' other things."

She pouted, "Just a short patrol? There's got to be vampires close to here and then we can go home and get you clean." She leaned up and licked lightly across his ear then whispered, "After we get a little dirty."

She felt part of him suddenly get bigger and reached down to rub him through his jeans. He growled low in his chest and whispered, "We should go 'fore I throw you down on that desk and make you scream."

She giggled and turned around. "Spike and I are going to do a short patrol and then we'll head back to the apartment."

Angel chuckled as he looked at Spike. "With the way you smell, I'd better go with you."

Willow nodded. "Me too."

Xander smiled. "And me."

Dawn looked at them. "Do any of you even have any stakes? We didn't gear up to fight vamps, so I only have the one I always carry."

Xander stepped toward her with an incredulous look on his face and held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Xander Harris, former resident of the Hellmouth." He reached behind him and pulled a stake from his back pocket. "I always have a stake or two on me."

Dawn giggled and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Xander. I'm Dawn, the Slayer." She looked at Willow who reached up a sleeve made of flimsy see-through fabric and pulled out a stake.

Spike's eyebrow went up. "How do you keep that up there?"

Willow smiled. "I hold it to my arm with a binding spell."

Spike nodded to Angel. "What 'bout you, Peaches? You armed?"

Angel smiled and pulled Willow into a hug. "I don't have a stake, but tearing their heads off seems to work, so I'll go with that."

Dawn grinned and took Spike's hand then headed for the door. "Let's go check out my new powers."

X

XXXX

X

They left the meat statues standing in the office and headed for the back door to the club. The statues came to slowly, dropping their hands and blinking as they looked around the room. They noticed the holes in Bill's desk and the wall behind it then looked at each other and one whispered, "What the hell happened?"

Another one reached up and rubbed the large red spot on his forehead. "I don't know, but I'm inclined to forget about it. Can't explain it, and the cops would think we're all bat-shit crazy if we tell 'em we saw vampires and some wicked looking chick with guns standing in here. I say we all just go back to work and pretend like none of this ever happened."

The one standing closest to the desk said, "Look, there's blood on the floor." He stepped closer to the desk and recoiled when he saw what was laying on it. "What the hell is that?" He bent down close to examine it then leaned over and lost his dinner all over the carpet.

The smallest of the group stepped up to the desk and looked at the chunk of Spike sitting there. "I think that's part of someone. Look, there's skin. Looks like it's been bitten." He turned around and said, "I'm out of here. As far as I'm concerned, I had a nice, quiet night at work. No vampires, no guns, and no bits of people left on Bill's desk."

They all nodded and started for the door when one of them looked behind him and said, "What about Bill? The vampire in the leather trench coat said he was dead."

The biggest one scoffed, "So what if he is? He's an asshole. Probably deserved it. Let's just go back to work and we'll worry about it tomorrow if he doesn't show up. We'll just say the alarm was a mistake if anyone asks. We came in here and Bill tore us a new one for disturbing him so we all went out back and had a smoke."

The smallest one shook his head. "I don't smoke."

The biggest one growled at him, "I don't give a shit. You came out back with us and stood there. Got it? We never saw vampires, or a bitch with guns, or whatever the hell that is on Bill's desk. We didn't see anything, right? Let me have your hands on it."

They all put their hands out and took turns shaking them then started for the door. The smallest one was the last out of the room and he took another look around before he locked the door and pulled it firmly shut behind him. "I didn't see a damn thing."


	33. Chapter 33 Trust Me

Not Long to Wait

Ch 33 – Trust Me

They walked down the alley behind the club heading for the street. Angel and Spike were scenting the air trying to smell vampires and Dawn was focusing on the tingles on her neck and the tickles in her mind. They came to the street and stepped out onto the sidewalk and Spike nodded to his left, "Smell somethin' down there." He looked at Dawn. "You sense anythin', kitten?"

She shook her head. "Just you two. Might have to get closer."

Spike nodded, "Right then," and took her hand as he started walking down the sidewalk. They passed several buildings and the alleyways between them before Dawn put her other hand on Spike's arm.

"Vampires." She tilted her head and closed her eyes. "Wow, a lot. Um, six maybe? It's kind of hard to sort them all out. Up there to the right."

Spike smiled. "Got it in one, luv. They're younger vamps, too. Oldest one is probably ten years or so."

She looked at him. "When did you know?"

He nodded over his shoulder. "About two blocks back. They're headed for us. Probably smell me."

She reached into an inside pocket and pulled out a stake. "Let's go."

Spike, Dawn, and Angel took the lead as they jogged down the street headed for the alley Dawn had indicated. When they made it to the mouth of the alley they stopped and waited for Willow and Xander to catch up. Angel pulled Willow close and said, "You two can wait here. We've got it."

Xander looked at him. "Why? We're not helpless, Dead Boy. We've been fighting vamps for a long time."

Spike snorted, "He didn't say you were, Harris. We need you to keep a lookout for more of 'em 'cause I smell like an all-you-can-eat vamp buffet. Every vampire in this area is probably headed our direction." He turned to head down the alley and six forms materialized out of the gloom.

They were all in game face and growling as they surrounded the group. One reached out to grab Xander and Spike snarled and fisted his hand in Xander's shirt then jerked him back and wrapped his hand around Xander's throat. He used his thumb to tilt Xander's head to the side as he stood behind him with his fangs lightly brushing his throat. "The boy's mine."

Xander yelped and started struggling. He brought his hands up and scrabbled at the pale hand holding him by his throat. Spike's grip tightened and he whispered, "Trust me." Xander stopped struggling for just a second and tapped Spike's hand then put up a show of trying to pull his arm away.

Spike nodded toward Angel who was vamped with his fangs at her neck and his arm wrapped around a struggling Willow. "We've got ours and we don't share; guess you lot'll just have to split that one." He nodded at Dawn with a smirk.

She looked at Spike and winked then turned back to face the vampires. Two of them darted forward and grabbed her arms as Spike slipped a stake out of Xander's back pocket and pressed it into his hand. "You go right, I'll go left."

Xander barely nodded and Spike shoved him to his right as he leapt forward and twisted the head off one of the vamps holding Dawn. She spun and buried her stake in the back of the one holding her other arm then stepped forward and fisted her hand in the filthy shirt of the nearest vampire, throwing him toward Angel.

Xander crashed into a large vampire and they both tumbled to the ground with Xander landing on top. He wasted no time raising his arm and slamming it down, burying his stake in the vampire's chest. It exploded into a cloud of dust and Xander dropped to his butt on the ground, coughing and trying to wave the dust away.

Angel stepped out from behind Willow and caught the vampire thrown at him then twisted its head off with a grin.

The two vampires left were starting to back away down the alley and Dawn looked over her shoulder at Willow. "You want one, Wils?"

Willow nodded. "Sure, Dawnie. Throw one at me."

Dawn grinned and darted forward to grab the closest vampire. She lifted and threw him over her shoulder and he landed flat on his back at Willow's feet. She smiled down at him as she dropped to her knees and drove her stake into his chest.

Dawn looked at Spike. "You want that one or should I get it?"

Spike leaned back against the building as his demon receded. "He's all yours, luv."

The last vampire decided that now would be a good time to cut his losses and took off, sprinting down the alley. Dawn flipped the stake in her hand so that she was holding the pointy end then took a step forward and threw it at the retreating vampire. It landed with a solid thunk and the vampire took one more step then exploded and the stake clattered to the ground and skidded to a stop up against a dumpster wheel.

She turned around to Spike's clapping. "Damn fine throw, pet. Now what say we get the other three that are runnin' up the alley back there?"

Dawn turned to Xander who was picking himself up off the ground and brushing vamp dust off his jeans. "Xan, can you…"

He nodded to her. "I know. Wait here. Watch for more."

She pulled him into a quick hug. "Thanks, Xan. Be right back."

Angel, Spike, and Dawn jogged down the dark alley with Dawn stopping long enough to fish her stake out from under the dumpster. Dawn couldn't see as well as the vampires so Spike reached back and took her hand as he shifted back into game face. They got to the back of the building and turned the corner then stopped as they saw the three vampires jogging toward them.

Dawn closed her eyes for a minute to let them adjust to the darkness and when she opened them, the vampires were about fifteen feet away. She said, "Let me take them," as she started walking slowly forward.

Spike nodded and said, "Go get 'em, kitten," as he started digging in his duster for his smokes. He found a crumpled pack and pulled one out, lighting it as Dawn reached the three vampires.

Angel stepped closer to Spike and said low enough that only vampire hearing could pick it up, "There's someone down the alley behind us, hiding behind a dumpster."

Spike replied just as low, "I know. He's been workin' his way up the alley since we rounded the corner."

The closest vampire almost walked into Dawn's stake before he realized she was holding one, and spun away. She darted forward with vampire-like speed and buried the stake in his back then jerked it out and spun to face the other two before his dust had even hit the ground. She whipped her stake hand out and dusted the one on her right then tossed the stake in the air, caught it with her left hand, and staked the other vampire before either one realized what had hit them.

She smiled back down the alley at Spike and Angel just as they all heard the unmistakable sound of a crossbow bolt being loosed. Spike and Angel sprung away from each other as Dawn dropped to the ground. The bolt caught Spike in the left shoulder blade, spinning him as he fell. The shaft broke off, burying the tip deep as he rolled to his feet roaring with rage. Angel spun and pushed off the building then sprinted down the alley with Spike close behind. Angel reached the shooter, who was starting to rise to his feet, and yanked him the rest of the way up then slammed him into the building. Spike's forearm pinned him there by his throat as Angel pulled the ski mask off his head.

Dawn skidded to a halt next to Spike and gasped, "Riley?"


	34. Chapter 34 Have a Word

Not Long to Wait

Ch 34 – Have a Word

Spike growled, "Soldier Boy," and pressed his arm harder into Riley's throat. Riley started gasping as Angel grabbed hold of his hair and slammed his head into the building, knocking him out. Spike snarled at him, "What the hell ya do that for?"

Angel pulled Spike away from Riley and slung the unconscious man over his shoulder. "There's something on that bolt. I can smell it. We need to get it out of you, which means we need to get out of here. Let's go."

Spike backed up and slipped his duster down far enough for Dawn to see the wound. "Pull it out, kitten."

She examined it, prodding it gently with her fingers, then shook her head. "I can't. There's not enough of it sticking out to grab hold of."

Spike pulled his duster back up and nodded. "All right then, let's go." Angel started jogging toward the street and Spike and Dawn followed him. Spike made it to the corner then staggered and crumpled to the ground.

"Spike!" Dawn dropped down beside him and rolled him onto his back. The bolt tip was barely poking through his chest just below his collar bone and blood was soaking into his already sopping shirt.

Angel turned and shouted, "Pick him up. We have to go!"

Dawn leaned down and pulled him to a sitting position then stood and jerked him to his feet, bending down so he'd fall forward over her shoulder. She stood back up and took off running down the alley. Willow and Xander heard them pounding toward the street and took off running as Angel and Dawn passed them at a full sprint.

Two vampires were walking down the street headed for the lovely smell of fresh blood when they were startled by Angel and Dawn bursting out of the alley. Angel straight armed one out of his way and he flew into the building and landed in a heap on the ground. Xander veered over and quickly staked him then took off after Angel. Dawn still had her stake in her hand and let it fly out, slamming it into the other vampire's chest as she ran by. She was three steps away when it exploded into dust.

Angel's SUV was parked several blocks over and they reached it in a matter of minutes. Angel hauled the back doors open and slung Riley in as Dawn slid to a halt next to him. She laid Spike next to Riley as gently and quickly as she could then jumped up beside him as Angel slammed the doors. Xander and Willow came puffing up and climbed into the vehicle as Angel started the engine with a roar. He shot out of the parking lot, narrowly missing a group of clubbers walking in the middle of the street, then sped toward Dawn's apartment.

Xander yelped and clutched the back of Willow's seat as Angel roared through an intersection, swerving around the cars in front of him. "Jeez, what's with the driving, Mr. Andretti? What's wrong with Spike and who the hell is that other guy in the back?" Angel growled at him but didn't say anything as he screeched around a corner, taking out a garbage can.

Xander slid across the back seat and slammed into the opposite door then muttered, "Right. Shutting up now."

Riley started mumbling and his eyes fluttered open as they slid around the corner in front of Dawn's building, headed for the garage entrance. He sat up and turned his head just as Dawn's fist connected with his jaw and knocked him flat. Angel screeched to a halt in front of the elevator and jumped out then yanked the back doors open. Dawn jumped out the back and slung Spike over her shoulder as Angel roughly jerked Riley out of the vehicle. Willow slammed the vehicle doors shut and Xander held the elevator doors open. Angel stepped in with Riley and Dawn leaned in and hit the button.

Xander spastically punched the elevator button until the doors opened again, not sure what the emergency was, but based on the rage and tension flowing off Dawn, he figured it was bad. Willow and Xander stepped in and Dawn hit the button to send them up then waited a few minutes before she started tapping the button even more spastically than Xander had been. The doors finally opened and she stepped in and punched the button then impatiently waited for the doors to open on her apartment as Spike's blood dripped down the back of her duster and pooled on the floor.

As soon as the doors slid open, Angel reached in and took Spike from her then carried him to the dining room and laid him face-down on the table. Xander and Willow were tying an unconscious Riley to a chair as Angel slipped Spike out of his duster and tossed it onto the sideboard. He tore Spike's shirt down the middle and pushed it out of the way so he could see the bolt wound. The end of the bolt was lost inside Spike so Angel gently turned him over and pulled his shirt the rest of the way off. The tip of the bolt had moved a little further out of his chest and Angel grasped it and tried to pull it out, but it was slick with blood and he couldn't get a good grip on it. "Dawn, do you have any tools? I need some pliers."

She nodded and raced into Xander's room. They all heard the sounds of tools being roughly moved around and Dawn cursing as she hunted through them before she returned a few minutes later with a pair of pliers. Angel took them and gripped the end of the bolt then pulled up sharply and Spike jerked and moaned as the bolt was pulled free. Blood bubbled up out of the wound and sluiced over his shoulder to pool on the table near his head. Dawn raced into the kitchen and grabbed a handful of towels then rushed to Spike and slipped one under his shoulder blade. She pressed one to the wound in his chest and piled the rest next to his head to sop up the puddle. Angel lifted the bolt point and sniffed deeply.

"What is it, Angel? Can you tell?"

He shook his head. "The only thing I know for sure is that it's not the poison Faith used on me. I don't know of any other poisons that work on vampires, so I'm guessing it's just some kind of sedative."

Riley shook his head, trying to clear it as he mumbled, "It's a sedative. Apparently it needs to be stronger or I should've used more. He was supposed to be down before he realized what hit him. If my crossbow hadn't jammed, I would've had you both."

Angel stepped in front of Riley and grabbed his hair, pulling his head back. "What are you doing here?"

Riley glared at Angel and jerked his head loose. "Hunting Hostile 17."

Dawn looked at Willow and she nodded then walked over to the table. She took over pressing the towel to Spike's chest as Dawn walked over to Riley. She gently pushed Angel out of the way then moved to stand in front of him. "What did you say?"

Riley shifted his glare to Dawn. "Hunting Hostile 17."

Dawn's fist flew out and connected solidly with Riley's jaw, snapping his head back and bouncing it off the back of the chair. She waited until he'd pulled his head back up to glare at her before she spoke. "You call him that again and I'll break your fucking neck. His name is Spike."

Riley glared at her then turned his head and spat blood on the floor. "You deactivated the chip, didn't you?"

She nodded. "Yeah. How did you know?"

He just smiled at her. Dawn shrugged as she backed up and looked at Angel then slipped out of her duster and tossed it over a chair. "He wants to play, Angel. You want to play with him for a while?" She unsnapped the thigh straps then unbuckled her pistol belt and laid it over her duster.

Angel smiled at Riley. Not the usual, sweet, Angel smile but a purely evil Angelus smile. "I think I could be persuaded." One fist flew out and caught Riley on the cheek, snapping his head to the right, then the other fist snapped his head back to the left.

Xander walked up beside Dawn and whispered loud enough for Riley to hear over the ringing in his ears. "You're going to let him torture Riley? I mean, it's not like he's just some random demon. We know him."

Dawn shrugged. "I'm not gonna just let him, I'm gonna encourage him." She looked at Angel. "Hit him again. His mouth still isn't working."

Angel grinned and landed a hard blow to Riley's gut. Riley bent forward and spat out more blood then lifted his head and glared at Angel. Xander put his back to Riley and winked at Dawn who swallowed a smile. "You do realize Angelus is like the king of torture, right? He spent over a hundred years learning the most horrible ways to cause pain."

Dawn nodded. "Yep." She stepped forward and patted Riley on the shoulder. "Shoulda talked, dumbass." She turned to Angel. "There are tools in Xander's room. You might find something useful there. You're gonna hurt your hands if you keep hitting him. I also have some stuff in the kitchen that might come in handy." Angel nodded and started for Xander's room. Dawn called after him, "Let me get a shower curtain out of one of the spare bathrooms before you start. I want to keep most of the blood and Riley bits off my floor."

Riley was looking between Dawn and Angel, trying to figure out if they were serious. He shook his head. *_He throws a mean punch, but there's no way he's going to __do anything else. They're just trying to scare me.*_

He looked over at Willow, who was glaring daggers at him as she held the towel over the hole in Spike's chest. "How did you find him?"

Dawn walked back in with a shower curtain and spread it on the floor next to Riley's chair. "Don't worry, Wils. He'll tell us everything he knows in a little while." She walked behind Riley's chair and bent down and lifted him, chair and all, then moved him onto the shower curtain.

He goggled at her as she walked back around in front of him. "When did you get so strong?"

She just smiled at him and walked back over to Spike. She took over holding the towel to Spike's chest and Willow walked over and leaned against the wall in front of Riley. Dawn lifted the towel and saw that the bleeding had stopped and a clear liquid was leaking out of the wound. She wiped it up with the towel and glared at Riley, then went to the kitchen, wet a cloth, and started sponging the blood off Spike's neck and chest.

Angel finally emerged from Xander's room carrying a large toolbox. "Found lots of interesting items. Gonna check the kitchen and see what else I can find." He set the toolbox on the edge of the shower curtain and opened the lid then walked to the kitchen, stopping to kiss Willow on the way. Riley leaned over as far as he could and peered into the box, wincing when he saw some of the tools. *_Buffy told me Angel had a soul! He's supposed to be one of the good guys.* _He peeked at the tools again. *_Yeah, I'm fucked. I don't think the soul's gonna make a difference.*_

Angel walked out of the kitchen holding several knives, a corkscrew, and some skewers. Dawn walked over and took the skewers. "These are the cheap wood ones. Hold on, I have some silver ones in a different drawer." She walked into the kitchen and returned a minute later with six silver skewers. Riley's eyes got wide as she walked toward him and dropped them on the floor next to the toolbox.

Angel clapped his hands and looked around. "All right. Almost ready." He backed up and took off his shirt then kicked off his shoes. He faced Willow for a second then turned back to Riley.

Riley's eyes kept getting wider. "Why are you taking off your clothes?"

Angel smiled that Angelus smile again. "Don't want to get blood on my silk shirt. I really like that shirt, and those are Italian shoes. I paid a lot for those."

Xander pulled a chair from the dining table and set it a few feet from the shower curtain then walked into the kitchen and came out with a bag of chips. He plopped down in the chair and opened the bag. "Any day now, Dead Boy."

"Ponce."

Angel looked at Spike, who was leaning up on one elbow while Dawn wiped the blood from his back. Angel smiled at him. "What?"

Spike grinned. "Back in the day, you'd have been elbow deep in his guts by now." He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the table then nodded at Riley. "Mind if I have a word 'fore you get started?"

Angel nodded. "Be my guest."

Spike hopped off the table and wobbled a little then sat back down. Dawn walked around the table and stood in front of him. "You need blood. You've lost most of what you had." She leaned in and pulled her hair back from her neck. He nodded and released his demon then sank his fangs deep into her neck, looking at Riley with amber eyes as he pulled mouthful after mouthful.

Dawn closed her eyes and wrapped him in her arms, shuddering as his feelings washed over her. She could feel Spike's pain and anger tinged with a tiny bit of fear, but mostly she could feel his love. *_Why is it so much more intense when he bites my neck? He's fed from my arm and it didn't feel like this. I mean, I felt it, but it wasn't nearly this strong.* _His arms slid around her as her heart started beating faster and warmth bloomed low in her belly. *_Wish we were naked and in the bedroom.* _She pulled him closer and ground against him, moaning quietly into his hair. She was about to reach down and start stroking him when Riley's angry voice broke in.

"You let him feed from you? Have you completely lost your mind?"

Spike pulled one more mouthful then slipped his fangs out and licked the bite closed. "Ta, luv."

Dawn kissed him then turned around, stepped forward, and punched Riley. "You're one to talk! At least I love the vamp feeding from me. Aren't you the one who was _paying_ vampires to bite you?" Riley spat out another mouthful of blood and sneered at her. She stood back and smirked at him. "Yeah. That's what I thought." She reached up and traced her fingers lightly over Spike's bite. "You should have let them bite your neck, Riley. It feels really good."

Spike chuckled, "He couldn't let the Slayer know he was addicted, pet. Shame, that. It does feel a lot better when we bite over a large artery. You were missin' out, mate."

Riley growled over at Spike, "Fuck off."

Spike chuckled as he stood up and rolled his injured shoulder then lifted his arm over his head. "Feels a lot better. Think you're blood's gotten stronger, kitten."

Dawn turned to Spike and looked at the hole in his shoulder. It was closed over. She turned him around and checked his shoulder blade, pressing her fingers lightly into the raw red mark. "How does that feel?"

"Just a bit sore, pet, not screamin' at me like it was a few minutes ago." Dawn peeled the bandage off his neck and gasped. The hole that was in his neck was now just an angry bruise.

"Your neck is almost completely healed."

Spike reached up and traced his fingers across the skin. "Yeah, I'd say your blood is a bit stronger."

Dawn wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed the back of his neck. "Good. Now go have your word."


	35. Chapter 35 Three Things

Not Long to Wait

Ch 35 – Three Things

Spike stepped in front of Riley and smirked at him. "What're you doin' here?"

Riley scowled up at him. "Hunting you."

"How'd you know where to find me?"

Riley closed his mouth tight and shook his head.

"Not talkin', eh? Don't worry, 'Gelus'll get answers outta you." He turned to Dawn. "Nice idea with the shower curtain, pet. Easy cleanup." She smiled at him as he turned back to Riley.

"I have just three things to say to you. Me. Spike. William would say, _Let bygones be bygones_, then tell me it's not proper to seek revenge for past injuries, even though that's what I've spent the last few hours doin'. I've had to keep ole Will tucked away neat in a box for the last little bit, or he'd have been natterin' at me 'bout my choices."

He leaned down and whispered in Riley's ear. "Gonna keep 'im tucked away a bit longer. He'd be right upset at what I'm 'bout to do." He stood up and cracked his knuckles. "Now, back to business. Three things. First…" He smashed his fist into Riley's cheek, snapping his head back and cracking his cheekbone. "That's for blowin' up my crypt."

"Second…" He slammed his fist into Riley's gut. Riley whooshed all the air out of his lungs and leaned as far forward as he could. "That's for stakin' me."

Spike stepped forward and pulled Riley upright by his hair then placed his knee on the edge of the chair between Riley's legs. "Third…" He grasped the chair back and leaned forward just a bit, waiting for the realization to show in Riley's eyes before he slammed his knee forward. "That's for the fucking chip."

Riley sagged forward again, whistling as he tried to draw air into his lungs. He pulled his legs up as far as they would go then moaned faintly and passed out. Spike turned around to see Xander leaning forward in his chair, clutching himself and wincing in sympathy. He chuckled, "Ok, I'm done. I'm gonna go have a shower. See you lot in a bit."

X

XXXX

X

Willow watched Angel walk out of Xander's room and put down the toolbox. He looked angry. Angrier than she'd seen him since he was Angelus. His angry face changed to a smile as he walked up to her on his way into the kitchen. He leaned down and kissed her gently. *_Goddess, he smells good!*_

When he took off his shirt, Willow gasped and licked her lips. *_Want to lick that tattoo.* _She shook her head. *_Bad Willow! Naughty thoughts! He's about to hurt Riley. I shouldn't be thinking about wrapping my arms around him, and rubbing my hands all over those… yummy… mmmm… muscles.* _He kicked off his shoes then turned and gave her a wink. She smiled at him as she watched the muscles of his chest flex and ripple.

She took a deep breath and tried to get her lust under control as Angel told Riley about his Italian shoes. She jumped just a little when Spike spoke. *_Didn't realize he was awake.* _She glanced over as Spike sank his fangs into Dawn's neck then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Angel. He leaned back into her just a bit as she ran her hands over his bare chest, licking and nibbling on his back.

She stepped around in front of him, jumping again when Dawn punched Riley. She nibbled lightly on his chest as one hand dropped between them and started stroking him through his pants. He leaned down and breathed in her ear, "Mmmm, that feels good."

While Spike was talking to Riley, Willow was pulling down Angel's zipper and reaching her hand inside. He moaned against her neck, wrapping his arms around her, as Spike's first punch connected with Riley's face. His fangs lightly brushed her neck as Spike punched Riley again, then he winced and pulled back just a little when Spike's knee hit home. She looked back over her shoulder when Spike said he was going to go shower, then looked up at Angel and smiled. She turned him and wrapped her arm around his waist then pulled him toward her room while her other hand continued stroking.

She pushed him through the door then glanced back at the dining room and saw Dawn step through her bedroom door, closing it behind her. Xander looked at Dawn's door then turned to look at Willow. "Guess I'll just babysit Captain Cardboard." He leaned his head back on the chair and she barely heard him whisper, "God, I need a girlfriend or something."

Angel's hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her into the bedroom. He closed the door then pushed her against it and pressed close to her, nipping at her neck as he pushed her skirt down. She popped the button of his pants and pushed them down over his hips as he slid his hands back up her legs. He paused at her hips, expecting to find underwear, then smiled against her neck and growled low in his chest as his fingers skated over bare skin.

He lifted her up and slid into her with a low moan then started thrusting with long slow strokes as she wrapped her legs around him and clutched his shoulders. She whispered, "Harder," and he backed away from the door then leaned back just a bit as he grasped her waist and lifted her then slammed her back down. She locked her hands behind his neck and leaned back as he lifted and slammed into her over and over. She arched her back, pulling him as deep as she could with her legs and screamed at the ceiling. She shook and shuddered as he held her tight then turned and laid her on the bed.

He turned her onto her stomach then grasped her hips and slammed into her with a deep thrust. She cried out and fisted the blanket as he pounded into her, grunting and growling. She pushed back as she screamed into the bed, clenching all around him. He thrust hard then threw his head back and roared as he exploded deep inside her. He stood with his hands on her hips as he twitched, then wrapped his arm around her waist and fell sideways to the bed, still buried deep. She turned just enough to pull him into a kiss then murmured, "Vampire strength. Gotta love it."

He slid his hand down her belly and his fingers started stroking her gently. "We're just getting started, baby. Ready for more?"

She smiled and wiggled her hips, causing him to moan loudly into her hair. "Ready when you are."


	36. Chapter 36 Exquisite

Not Long to Wait

Ch 36 – Exquisite

Dawn closed the door behind her just in time to see Spike's bare backside disappear into the bathroom. *_Man, he can get out of his jeans in a hurry!* _She stripped off her shirt as she heard the water start running then peeled out of her jeans, kicking them into the corner. She peeked into the bathroom and saw him leaning into the shower as he tested the water temperature. She watched the muscles play under the smooth skin of his back as he gripped the side of the shower and reached in to turn it up a smidge. He stepped under the spray and closed his eyes as it poured down over those beautiful cheekbones and luscious lips. She watched the water sheet over his perfectly sculpted chest and stomach then slide down his well muscled legs. *_God, I could look at him all day. He's beautiful.*_

He turned around and she tiptoed into the bathroom, eased the shower door open, then stepped quietly inside and pulled it silently shut behind her. She stepped up behind him and was about to goose him in the ribs when he laughed, "Nice try, kitten. I've never been ambushed by a Slayer and don't plan to start now. I've known you were followin' me since I left the dinin' room. Why were you standin' so long at the door?"

She wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his chest as she murmured against his back, "Just looking at you. Watching the water slide down this beautiful body. You are exquisite, has anyone ever told you that?"

He turned around and pulled her under the spray, kissing her until she was in desperate need of air. She broke away gasping and slowly caught her breath then smiled up at him. "How far away can you sense me?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. We haven't been that far apart since you were Called. I've felt you constantly since then, 'cept when I was knocked out, of course."

She reached down and started stroking him as she dropped to her knees. "Can you feel me now?"

He groaned as she took him deep and swallowed around him. She bobbed her head, taking him almost to the hilt on each stroke as her hand stroked his ass and slipped between the cheeks to massage his hole. She slid one finger in deep and he shouted as she stroked across the little bundle of nerves deep inside him, "Oh Dawn, yeah!" He grasped her head and started thrusting his hips as she pumped her finger, hitting it on each stroke. He thrust deep, his hips jerking as he exploded deep in her throat and loosed a deafening roar. His hips jerked again as she slid her finger out and let him go. He sagged back against the wall and panted, "Brilliant, pet. That was bloody brilliant."

She pulled him up and led him to the bench then straddled him and kissed him deeply. "Glad you liked it. Thought you might after that discussion at the club."

He stroked his hands up and down her back. "Liked it? Hell, I bloody loved it, kitten. That was amazin'. Thank you."

"You're welcome." She ground against him and he moaned. "So, were you bottom or top?"

He tilted his head and lifted his scarred eyebrow. "With Angelus?" She nodded. "Both."

"Which did you like more?"

He grinned. "Both." He grasped her hips and pulled her close, lightly biting her neck. "Have you ever?"

She shook her head. "No, never trusted anyone enough."

He pulled back and looked at her. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded. "Yes. I do."

He grasped Dawn's waist and lifted her to her feet then stood and kissed her gently. "Be right back." He padded into the bedroom closet and dug something out of his bag then walked back into the shower.

Dawn looked at the small tube in his hand and asked, "What's that?"

He put the tube on the bench near the wall then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. "Slick. So I don't hurt you."

She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands slid over her body. He slid his hands up her sides, caressing her breasts as he kissed along her jaw and nibbled on her ear. He backed her up to the wall and dropped to his knees in front of her then lifted her leg over his shoulder and leaned in for a long lick. He worked his tongue and slid two fingers in, pumping them until she was moaning and grasping his hair. He reached over with his free hand and grabbed the tube, spread a generous dollop on his fingers, then pressed one gently against her small opening. He stopped licking and looked up at her. "You sure, pet?"

She nodded and he slid his finger in slowly then stilled as he leaned in and worked his tongue. He slowly pumped his finger until she was relaxed then added a second finger and stretched her as he thrust into her core with his other hand. She was panting and thrusting against his face when he added a third finger and spread them slightly. She cried out, "Oh God, Spike!" as she fisted her hands in his hair and clenched around his fingers.

He stood and led her over to the bench then straddled it and turned her so her back was to him then pulled her down in front of him. He spread a large dollop of slick over himself as she leaned forward and looked back over her shoulder. She rose up just a little as he positioned himself at her entrance and slowly pushed in. She grasped the edge of the bench as she gasped and tensed. He slid his hand around and stroked her slowly. "You ok, luv?"

She nodded. "Hurts a little. You're so big."

He kept stroking and his other hand slid up to her breast and lightly pinched the nipple. "You're in control, pet. Just relax and move when you're ready." He slid his hand down her stomach and over her curls then slipped two fingers in as he stroked faster. She moaned and started moving on him with long, slow strokes. He growled, "God, that feels good, kitten." Her breath started coming faster as she slid on him and pushed back to take him deeper.

She looked back over her shoulder and whimpered, "Harder, Spike. Please. It feels so good, I need more." He pulled her up so her back was against his chest then wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her slowly, slamming her back down. She cried out, "Yeah, that's it. Keep doing that." He growled against her back as he lifted her and slammed her down until she was panting. "Ye… Ye… Ye." She tensed and leaned back against him then screamed as she clenched and convulsed around him, squeezing him almost to the point of pain. His hands tightened on her waist as he thrust up into her, roaring against her back.

She slumped against him. "God, Spike, that was good. Like way good."

He nibbled along her shoulder as his hands slid up and caressed her breasts. "Glad you liked it, kitten."

She lifted herself off him then turned and straddled him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Have I told you that I love you today?"

He smiled and shook his head. "Not yet."

She pressed her forehead to his. "I do. You know that, right?"

He rubbed his thumb lightly across her cheek. "Yeah, pet. I know."


	37. Chapter 37 Power of the XanMan

Not Long to Wait

Ch 37 – Power of the Xan-Man

Spike walked out of the bedroom carrying Dawn on his back. Xander rolled his eyes as they stepped into the dining room. "Have a good time?"

Angel and Willow walked into the dining room just as Spike grinned and said, "Bloody good time." Dawn slid to the floor and turned Spike around to plant a kiss on him. His hands tangled in her hair as he deepened the kiss and left her gasping.

Xander laughed, "With all the roaring and screaming going on, this place sounds like Animal Planet meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

Spike shot him the two finger salute as he walked over to Riley, who was slumped in the chair pretending to be asleep, and cuffed him on the head. "Oi! Wake up!" Riley lifted his head and scowled at Spike. "Good. I've had a shower and a shag and I'm ready to get back to work." Dawn smacked him on the arm and he leaned in to whisper in her ear, "And a bloody brilliant shag it was, pet." She blushed and sat down on the table then pulled her legs up and crossed her ankles.

Willow walked over and sat down next to her, pushing Spike's bloody towels out of the way. Dawn leaned over and whispered, "So what did you guys do?"

Willow blushed and whispered, "Stuff."

Dawn laughed, "I bet. Fun, isn't it?"

Willow blushed deeper and nodded. She moved closer to Dawn and whispered low, "Is it normal that I want him all the time? I mean, we just got done and I want to drag him back to my room for more." Angel looked over at Willow and smirked.

Dawn smiled. "Who cares if it's normal? None of us are normal, Wils. You're a witch, I'm the Key and the Slayer and we're, as Spike would say, _shagging_ Master Vampires. We're about as far away from normal as you can get. Don't let Buffy's _I gotta be a normal girl_ crap get stuck in your head. For us, this **is** normal. Just go with it."

Willow smiled and nodded. "Ok, Dawnie, I'll try. Just one thing. How do you stop yourself from attacking Spike whenever he gets close to you? Right now, the way Angel's standing there, I just want to rip his clothes off." Angel looked over at Willow again with eyes full of lust.

Dawn laughed. "I know how you feel. It's all I can do to stay on this table and not jump Spike where he stands." Spike's head turned to the girls on the table and he leered at Dawn. "I don't know, Wils. If you figure it out, let me know." She looked at Spike standing in front of Riley and licked her lips as their eyes met. The raw lust in his eyes sent a shiver of pleasure all through her. "Or don't. I actually kind of like feeling this way."

Willow gazed wistfully at Angel and sighed, "Yeah."

Angel bent down and picked up the skewers then turned to face Riley. He looked at Angel warily and tensed when he started walking closer. "You've had a nice nap. Ready to talk yet?" Riley didn't move, just followed Angel with his eyes as Angel walked behind him, grabbed his hair, and pulled his head back. He dragged the tip of a skewer over Riley's cheek, drawing blood and smiling when Riley winced. He brought the bloody point to his mouth. "Mmmm. That's good. Might have to be careful about wasting too much of that."

Xander crumpled his chip bag and tossed it at Angel. "You don't need to do that, Dead Boy. Riley and I had a nice long chat while the rest of you were... busy. He's told me pretty much everything I think we need to know." Riley scowled at him and jerked his head out of Angel's hand.

Everybody looked at Xander and he grinned. "It's the power of the Xan-Man. Start him talking about something totally off the track and slip questions in here and there. Also helped when I told him that what Spike did to him was just the appetizer. Angel is the full seven course meal."

Angel dropped the skewers behind Riley's chair then walked over and sat down on the table behind Willow, pulling her against his chest. "So what did you find out?"

Xander leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Riley's here to take Spike to a new Initiative Lab because he's the only demon left that has a first generation chip that still works."

Spike shook his head with a snarl, "Like hell! Dawn killed the chip, and the only way I'm goin' anywhere near the soddin' Initiative is in an ashtray. I'll bloody stake myself 'fore I let this git take me back to those arseholes."

Xander looked at Spike. "No, according to Riley, she didn't kill it, she only turned it off."

Dawn pulled Spike onto the table and wrapped herself around him. "Then why did it hurt him when I used that device Riley gave me? I thought that meant the chip melted or something."

Riley lifted his head and gave Xander a look. Xander sighed and looked at the four people on the table. "Ok, here's the deal. Riley will explain everything if you all agree to let him go." Spike sneered at Riley then looked at Angel and smiled. Xander caught the look and held up his hand. "Without beating on him anymore."

Spike looked at Riley. "All right, I'll agree for now… but you walkin' out of here with all the parts you arrived with depends on what you tell me. So get to it."

Riley nodded and looked at Dawn. "When you used the deactivation device, all you did was turn off the behavior modification portion of the chip."

Dawn glared at Riley. "The scanner you gave me didn't register a charge after I used it."

"I know. The scanner was calibrated to read only the behavior section. The rest of the chip is still active."

Spike started to get off the table and Dawn pulled him back to her. He struggled for a bit then relented with a loud growl, "And what does the rest of the chip do, you git?"

"Transmits a tracking signal. The pain you felt when she used the device was the tracking beacon being activated. If the behavior portion is ever damaged or tampered with, it sends an energy pulse to the tracking portion and turns it on. The Initiative has been tracking your movements since Dawn used the device."

"So why didn't you show up and try to nick me earlier?"

"I was on assignment out of the country. The director thought I should be the one to bring you in because I know you."

Spike snorted. "Like that makes a bloody difference. Just 'cause I know you won't keep me from killin' you. How do I turn off the tracker?"

"You can't."

Dawn jumped off the table and stalked over to Riley. "Do you remember what I told you I'd do to you if that thing didn't work?"

Riley shifted nervously in the chair and looked up at Dawn. "It's not my fault! That's how the chip was designed! The device I gave you did what I said it would. He doesn't get corrected when he hurts someone. That's what you wanted."

Dawn walked over to Spike and wrapped her arms around him. "Great. So the fucking Initiative will never stop hunting you."

Riley nodded. "If I don't bring him back, they'll only send someone else, and they'll keep coming until he's captured or dust. As long as the chip is active, he's a target."

Dawn turned back to Riley. "What if I use the device again? Will that turn off the rest of the chip?"

Riley shook his head. "No. Hitting the chip with that frequency again will cause it to self-destruct."

Willow asked, "Well, that would turn it off, wouldn't it?"

Riley nodded. "Yeah, the chip would be destroyed, but so would Hos… um... Spike's brain. The self-destruct releases a chemical that dissolves the chip. Once the chip is gone, the chemical would still be there and would eventually eat through his brain. There's not a lot of chemical, so it wouldn't be a quick process. It would probably drive him crazy before it finally turned him into a vegetable."

Spike jumped off the table in full game face and roared with rage. "Fuckin' Initiative! Can't turn it off, can't get it out, and I'm gonna be hunted by those buggerin' gits 'till I'm dust! Bloody buggerin' fuckin' hell!"

Riley jumped as Spike got close to him and stammered. "The only way they'll stop hunting you is if they think you're dead."

Spike turned and screamed at him, "I am dead, you brainless twat!" He stood in front of Riley shaking with rage and breathing hard until Dawn walked up to him and wrapped him in her arms.

She nuzzled against his neck and whispered, "We'll figure it out, Spike. We'll do whatever we have to."

Willow smiled as she climbed off the table and walked over to Spike. She put her hand on his arm and said, "If they're going to keep hunting you until you're dust, I guess we'll just have to make you dust then."

Spike tilted his head and looked at her. "You gonna stake me, pet? Put me out of my misery?"

She laughed, "No, but I could do a little _clean-up_ and make them **think** you're dust."

Spike's eyebrow went up then he broke into a huge grin. "You think it'll work?"

She nodded. "I've been using that spell for years. It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

He pulled her into a rib-cracking hug and whispered into her hair, "Thanks, Willow. Thanks for trustin' me enough to help me."

She squeezed him back and whispered, "I always liked you, Spike, well… except for those times when you tried to kill me, and that time you kidnapped me and threatened me with a broken bottle. That time was more terrified than like. But… mostly I liked you."

Spike chuckled, "I'm sorry for all that, Red." He leaned in close and whispered, "I was never gonna kill you anyway. You're a very powerful witch, and I don't wanna be responsible for removin' that much power from the world. I may be reckless, but I'm not stupid."

Dawn turned to Riley. "Where is it?"

He looked up at her with a puzzled expression. "Where is what?"

"Your scanner or whatever you used to track Spike."

His eyes shifted and he looked around the room then focused on his knees. She pulled his head up by his hair and got right in his face. "Don't make me ask you again."

She released his hair and he nodded to a pocket on his lower left pant leg. "It's in there." She opened the pocket and pulled out a small device that looked like a weird cell phone.

"How does this work?"

"If you'll untie me, I'll show you."

Dawn snorted, "Fat chance. Use your words, Riley."

He scowled. "Fine. Push the button on the side to turn it on. The dot blinking in the center of the screen is Spike. The closer you are to him, the bigger the dot."

She turned it on and a large dot started blinking in the middle of the screen. "Ok, Wils. We're ready."


	38. Chapter 38 Shackles

Not Long to Wait

Ch 38 – Shackles

Spike looked at the dot then took the scanner from Dawn and turned it over in his hands, examining it. He handed it back to her and walked over to Riley then knelt in front of the chair and started patting up Riley's legs. Riley yelped, "What the hell are you doing?"

Spike smirked up at him. "I may not know everythin' 'bout technology, but even I know you can't track someone with that thing. It's a dot on a screen. There's no map, no point of reference. What're you supposed to do? Walk 'round 'til the dot gets bigger? Right." He patted up Riley's legs and took everything out of his pockets, piling it on the floor behind him. Once he was done with the pants, he started emptying the pockets of Riley's jacket and the shirt underneath. The pile of gadgets and assorted stuff was growing, but Spike still hadn't found what he was looking for. He looked up at Riley. "Ok, mate, I'm 'bout to get up close and personal with you 'less you tell me where it is."

Riley scowled at him and shook his head and Spike sighed, "I warned you." He stood and nodded to Angel. "Little help here, Peaches?" Angel walked over and they started untying the ropes holding Riley to the chair. Dawn walked into the bedroom and came back out a few minutes later holding a set of shackles and a long chain. She pulled one of the dining room chairs under an eyebolt in the middle of the ceiling then climbed on the chair and threaded the chain through the eyebolt. She attached the shackles to the chain then jumped off the chair and turned to five sets of wide eyes.

"What?"

Spike stood up and walked over to her. "Shackles, pet?"

She nodded at him. "Yeah. Giles gave them to me after I told him I was going to deactivate your chip if I ever found you. He's had an eyebolt installed in every place I've lived, and told me I should restrain you before I killed the chip."

Spike looked up at the shackles. "So why didn't you?"

She placed her hands on both sides of his face and pulled him close, kissing him gently. "Because I trust you, Spike. I know you won't hurt me."

Angel dragged Riley over and stripped his jacket off then clamped one wrist into the shackles. He unbuckled Riley's watch and tossed it on the pile then locked that wrist down. Spike picked up the jacket and searched through it again then tossed it aside and turned to Riley. "Last chance, mate." Riley just glared at him and Spike shrugged, "All right then," and knelt down to untie Riley's boots. He pulled them off and inspected them before tossing them aside.

Angel pulled a small dagger from the toolbox and sliced Riley's shirt off, tossing the scraps on the pile of stuff. He sliced through Riley's belt then sliced cleanly through the waistband of Riley's pants and jerked them down. Spike pulled them all the way off and Riley jerked, rattling the chain, then whispered so low that only Angel and Spike could hear him, "All right. I'll tell you."

Spike stood up and tilted his head at Riley then whispered, "Why you bein' so quiet?"

Riley nodded at the scanner lying on the table. "They're listening."

Spike looked over at it then turned back and shrugged. "So? Time to talk or 'Gelus here is gonna start cuttin'."

Riley looked at the scanner and shook his head. Spike leaned in close and whispered, "You don't want your mates to hear you, yeah?" Riley nodded. "Well too bloody bad. Out with it, mate. Where's the device?" Riley looked at the floor and Spike growled, "You're not gonna tell me, are you?" Riley shook his head.

Spike sighed loudly as he backed up. "You asked for it." He walked over to the table and pointed to the scanner then mouthed, "Somebody's listening." as he motioned that everyone should go to Dawn's bedroom. Xander got up and moved silently down the hall followed by Dawn and Willow. He motioned for Angel to stay with Riley. "Angel, your toolbox awaits. Make it hurt."

Angel nodded toward the bedroom and mouthed, "Take your time," then stood in front of Riley. He sliced slowly across Riley's chest with the dagger. Riley gritted his teeth and tried to hold back the scream, but couldn't. Angel grinned. "Haven't caused anyone to scream in pain for a long time. Might take me a while to get back in the swing of things, hope you don't mind."

He bent down and dragged the shower curtain under Riley. "Dawn will dust me if I mess up her floor." He moved the chair off the shower curtain and straightened it out. "There. Much better."

Spike jogged silently down the hall and slipped into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He motioned everyone into the bathroom and closed that door as well. Riley let loose with a blood-curdling yell and Angel laughed loudly.

Xander whispered, "What the hell? Is Angel torturing him? We promised we wouldn't do anything else to him."

Spike shrugged. "Yeah, Angel's cuttin' on 'im. The promise no longer stands 'cause the git stopped talkin' and apparently didn't come alone. He said _they're listening_, so we have to assume there's a group of soldier boys somewhere near."

Dawn looked at the bathroom door as the sound of the chain rattling in the eyebolt drifted through. "Ok, Riley wants us to let him go, so he's going to talk. He tells me where that scanner thing is and has me turn it on, knowing it's a link to the rest of his team, and now he's worried that they'll hear him spilling his guts. If he knew that, why'd he have me turn it on? Why not just start talking?"

Xander scowled. "There's something he's hiding." Xander started pacing around the bathroom, rubbing his temples. "He doesn't want us to find his tracking device, but why? Does it show something he doesn't want us to see? Why alert the rest of the squad to what's happening here?" He stopped pacing and stared at the bathroom door. "He's stalling us. Keep us messing around until his squad can get here and bust in, guns blazing. That scanner is actually a transmitter and probably a homing device so they can find him."

Dawn said, "Well, they can't get up here in the elevators, so that leaves the stairs and the balconies."

Willow said, "I can put wards on the doors. That should hold them off for a little while."

Spike nodded. "Good plan, Red. Now what do we do 'bout Soldier Boy?"

Xander's face screwed into an angry scowl. "He told me he was being straight up with me and he only wanted to get out of here alive. Said he didn't care if you were chipped or not, and he'd decided to let you go and not try to bring you back with him."

Spike tilted his head. "Did he now?"

Xander nodded. "Yeah, but now I think he was just buying time until his team got close enough to help him. He thought if he told us they were listening, he'd score points and we'd back off him and wait for him to talk." He chuckled and looked at Spike. "He underestimated how stubborn you are. I think he'll let Angel torture him and not tell us anything, because his squad is getting close and he figures he can hold out that long. We need to find that tracking device and see what he's hiding. I have an idea. Everybody just let me handle the next few minutes and play along."

Xander jerked open the door and stalked back out to the dining room. Angel sliced the dagger across Riley's chest and Riley screamed. Xander walked up to Riley and punched him square in the stomach then slammed his fist across Riley's cheek, snapping his head sideways and knocking him out. He hung limply from the shackles as Xander turned and motioned to Spike.

Spike quickly picked up on what he wanted then nodded and clapped his hands loudly. "Good job, Peaches! You've knocked 'im out. Always knew he was a useless git; you didn't even hit 'im that hard. Guess we'll have to take a break for a bit 'til he comes round."

Xander said, "Hey, we could order a pizza and watch a movie or something," as he waved at everyone else to keep up the charade. He picked up the scanner and walked toward the living room.

Willow laughed as she followed him, "Is that all you ever think about, Xan? Food?"

Dawn walked behind Willow. "I've got the pizza menu, what do you guys want on it?"

Spike yelled, "Pepperoni!"

Xander yelled back as he laid the scanner on the table directly in front of the TV speaker. "You're a vampire, you doofus! You're not supposed to eat pizza!"

Willow picked up the remote and turned on the TV then turned the volume almost all the way up. She scrolled through the channels until she found a war movie with lots of gunfire and explosions then dropped the remote on the couch and followed Xander and Dawn back into the dining room.

Willow said, "I'll get started on the wards. Dawn, could you help me?"

Dawn nodded. "Sure, Wils."

Dawn and Willow walked down the hall to Willow's room as Spike clapped Xander on the shoulder. "I get that we don't want the gits to know what we're doin', but why'd you knock him out? We could've just moved the gadget and kept Angel workin' on him."

Xander glanced over at Riley then shrugged. "A – It felt good. And B – I figured his team might not hurry so much if he's unconscious. They'll be careful and take more time to plan their attack. If they think he's still being tortured, then they'd be busting their asses trying to get here. We needed time to figure out what his deal is. Besides, he's not gonna tell us anything anyway." He turned and scowled at Riley. "I don't think the tracking device is still on him, unless he's got it shoved up his lying ass, so it's got to be one of these things." He motioned to the pile of gadgets and whatnot liberated from Riley's pockets.

Angel, Spike, and Xander sat on the floor around the pile and Xander sighed, "Let's get to work," then looked up hopefully, "We **are** going to get pizza, right?"


	39. Chapter 39 Hello! McFly!

Not Long to Wait

Ch 39 - Hello! McFly!

Spike took another slice of pizza as he picked up Riley's wallet. He flipped it open and looked at the cards, snorting when he saw Riley's driver's license picture, then pulled out the cash and stuffed it into the pocket of his jeans. He started to take a bite of pizza then froze as he noticed everyone staring at him. "What?"

Xander laughed, "You took his money. Thought you were loaded, Spike, why do you need Riley's money?"

Spike smiled sheepishly. "Force of habit, I guess." He nodded at the still unconscious Riley. "I'm keepin' it, though. Wanker can kiss my pale arse." He closed the wallet and tossed it into the pile of things that couldn't possibly be a tracking device then looked at the three items lying on the floor in the middle of the circle – Riley's watch, a cell phone, and an iPod.

Dawn picked up the iPod and turned it on. She quickly scrolled through the screens then turned it off and tossed it into the discard pile. "Just a bunch of crappy songs and games. I wonder if the Initiative loaded that junk on there or if Riley is just that lame."

Xander and Spike looked at each other and grinned as they said, "Lame."

Willow picked up the cell phone and punched a few buttons. "He's got it passworded. Hold on." She laid it on her leg then held her hand over it and chanted something in Latin. She tapped a few buttons and frowned. "Didn't work. Hmmm, must be better encryption than I'm used to."

Dawn held her hand out. "Let me try." Willow handed her the phone and Dawn wrapped her fingers around it then closed her eyes. Her hand lit up with a faint green glow then the phone screen flashed and slowly faded into the home screen. Dawn held it up and started scrolling through the menus. She checked his contacts, memos, and calendar but didn't find anything useful. She sighed as she tossed the phone onto the pile, "Nothing."

Willow smiled as she picked up the watch. "Well, as Sherlock Holmes said, '_When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.' _This has got to be the tracking device." The watch face had several tiny buttons on it and she pressed one. The face lit up. She pressed it again. "Ok, not that one." She pressed the one next to it and light beamed out of a small hole at the top of the watch face and formed a holographic screen about a foot above the watch.

Everyone slid over to sit around Willow as they peered at the screen. There were two large squares next to each other, each showing the same map. Each map had a blinking red dot in the exact same location. Dawn looked at a dot and said, "That's my building. Looks like you found it, Wils!"

Spike frowned. "Why are there two maps? They both show the same thing."

Xander pointed to the top of one square. "Look. This map is tracking _Hostile 17 IntraCranial Microchip._" He pointed to the top of the other square. "But this one is tracking _Hostile 17 IntraSacral Microchip._"

Spike looked between the two squares. "What the hell does that mean?"

Willow looked at him. "You have two chips. One in your head and one in your sacrum."

"My sacrum? Where the bloody hell is my sacrum?"

Dawn slid her hand down his back, tracing her fingers over his vertebrae until she found where they were fused together then tapped. "Here."

Spike yelped, "I have a chip in my arse?"

Dawn laughed, "No, it's in the large bone at the back of your pelvis."

Spike reached behind him and ran his fingers over the spot where Dawn had tapped. "How many bleedin' bits of plastic did those sods stick in me?"

Xander said, "That must be what Riley was hiding, that you had another tracking chip."

Willow nodded. "I would've magicked the one out of his head, and we'd have thought that was it."

Dawn wrapped her arms around Spike. "And then the Initiative would've either captured or dusted him because we wouldn't have been expecting them."

Spike pulled back to look at her. "Oi! M' not a helpless babe! Been takin' care of myself for over a century, pet."

She smiled. "I know that, Spike, but they have managed to capture you once already."

He frowned. "Yeah, but the bleedin' sods ambushed me. That won't happen again."

She squeezed him. "I know. Now that we know they're still looking for you, we can keep an eye out."

Riley stirred and looked at the group gathered on the floor near his feet. "You found it."

Dawn looked up at him. "Yeah, we did. Too bad for you. You should've just coughed it up, Riley."

Riley scoffed, "Why? You're gonna kill me anyway. Not like I have anything to lose."

Dawn stood up and looked Riley in the eye. "No, we were going to let you go after we got the chip out of Spike's head. Now your buddies are waiting around to see what we do to you."

Riley glanced over at the table, looking for the scanner. "Where is it?"

Dawn laughed, "Oh, they were listening to some war movie, but I thought they might be tired of that, so I put in one of my Doctor Who discs and put it on repeat. They're listening to the Daleks shout _Exterminate!_ over and over."

Riley scowled at her. "Doesn't matter. If they don't hear from me soon, they're going to come up here."

Dawn poked him in the chest, careful to avoid all the blood. "Let 'em try. I brought the elevators up here and powered them down after the pizza guy left. Only I can unlock them. Willow's warded the doors to the stairs, the balconies and all the windows. They're not getting in here."

"You'll have to leave here sometime. You'll need food. My team won't let your pizza guy through."

Dawn turned and waved in the direction of the kitchen. "Uh, not really. The Council stocked this place with enough food to feed the three of us for months. I just order in because I hate to cook."

Riley looked around. "There are five of you."

Dawn rapped her knuckles on his forehead. "Hello! McFly! Anybody in there? Two of us are vampires, you idjit. They don't need to eat human food."

He sneered at her. "So you're just going to let them feed from you? They'll end up killing you. Three humans can't make enough blood to keep two vampires fed."

Dawn smiled evilly at Riley. "Actually, there are four humans here, and we already know how much you like vampires feeding on you, Riley."

Riley looked disgusted. "I'm not going to let those things feed from me. You'll have to kill me first."

Dawn shrugged as she motioned to the group to join her in the kitchen. "That could be arranged."

Riley had a smug look on his face as they walked away from him. *_Found the flaw in your grand plan.* _He looked around trying to find a clock and spied one on the sideboard partially covered by Spike's duster. *_The team should be at the building by now. Just gotta wait this out then we'll have that fucking vampire. Might have to take the other one too. Hell, maybe we'll just take 'em all.*_


	40. Chapter 40 Microchip Not Found

Not Long to Wait

Ch 40 – Microchip Not Found

Dawn closed the kitchen door then turned to the group. "His team is probably going to get in here at some point; the wards won't hold against everything. Besides, as much as I love you guys, I don't want to be trapped here with you for months. We'd all probably end up killing each other. I'd for sure end up killing Riley."

Xander nodded. "Yeah, and Riley did have a point about feeding the bloodsuckers here. They'd need more blood than we can make."

Dawn smiled and shook her head. "Riley doesn't know about me. I could feed both of them for like ever, because I heal almost instantly. Watch." She pulled a knife out of the block on the counter and sliced quickly across her arm. Blood welled up along the cut and she held her arm up to Spike. He licked the blood off and they all watched as the shallow cut healed before their eyes. Angel stared at her arm as his face turned thoughtful.

Xander gasped, "How long have you been like this, Dawn?"

She dropped the knife in the sink and shrugged. "I've always been a fast healer, not Slayer or vampire fast, but faster than a regular human. Remember when I was all sliced up during Glory fun time?" Everyone nodded except Angel. "Those cuts healed completely in about two days. The injuries Anya had took over a week and mine were deeper. When Willow gave me Slayer strength it got faster. It's gotten way faster since I was Called, but even before then it would've healed in an hour or so."

Willow looked at her arm. "How did you know it's gotten faster? You haven't been hurt since you were Called, have you?"

Dawn shook her head. "No. I know from when I fed Spike earlier. His bite healed barely a minute after he let go."

Willow looked at her wide-eyed. "Wow, Dawnie. That's… wow."

Dawn smiled. "Yeah, I like it. So anyway, Willow, can you freeze the grunts like you did those guys at the club?"

Willow nodded. "Yeah, but they all need to be in the same room and I'll have to stay close to them for the spell to hold."

"Ok, how about this, Xander, you work with Willow. She freezes, you knock 'em out. Angel, Spike, and I will each take different rooms, so if they come at us from all sides, we're covered. We should shut the bedroom and bathroom doors then ward them so if they come in the windows, they'll have to fight through a door to get at us. The five of us can easily defend the dining room, living room, and kitchen."

Xander nodded. "Sounds like a good plan."

Dawn said, "Ok, first thing, we need to get the chips out of Spike so they can't track him anymore. Then we all need to go pack our crap and pile it in the back elevator so Willow can ward all the doors."

Spike tilted his head at Dawn. "We're leavin'?"

Dawn wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Yeah. Even with the chips out, they still know where you are, and they'll come for you again if we stay here. We have to get the hell out of Dodge."

Spike pulled back to look at her. "Pet, I don't want you to have to leave everythin' behind 'cause of me."

Dawn smiled at him. "You're more important to me than a bunch of stuff, you goof. Besides, none of this stuff is mine. It was all here when I moved in. The only things I brought were my clothes and my weapons chest. Everything I own besides my weapons fits in two duffel bags."

Angel nodded. "Ok, Xander and I will go pack. You three get those chips out." He wrapped his arms around Willow and kissed her gently. "I'll pack your room. Love you."

Willow pulled him into a long kiss. "Love you. Thanks."

Spike laughed, "Peaches just wants to get his hands on your knickers."

Willow smirked at him then looked at Angel. "Don't bother packing them, Angel. I don't need them anymore. They just get in the way."

Dawn smiled at Willow. "You know, Wils, that's a good idea. I don't need mine either. Spike likes it when I don't wear any and they'll just take up space."

Xander stuck his fingers in his ears and started chanting, "Not listening! Not listening!" as he hung a left out of the kitchen followed by a chuckling Angel.

Dawn, Willow, and Spike walked back over to Riley. Dawn bent down and picked up the watch off the floor then turned to Spike. "You should probably lie down or something while Willow magicks the chips out."

He nodded and climbed back up on the dining room table and lay on his stomach, avoiding the puddle of drying blood with a pile of towels sitting in it. Willow walked over to him and held her hands over his head and low back. She started chanting then stopped abruptly and looked at Dawn sitting on the table near Spike's head. "Um, we might want to get anything out of here that you don't want to lose chips out of. I'm going to extend the spell to cover all of Spike, and I'm not sure if I can keep it to just him or if the spell will take all the chips in this room."

Spike lifted his head. "You think there might be more chips?"

Willow shrugged. "Better safe than sorry. Riley isn't being at all helpful, so I'd rather be sure."

Dawn stood and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. "Where should I put the stuff?"

Willow thought for a minute. "Um, I think in the fridge. It's solid enough and far enough away from me it should block the spell."

"What about Angel and Xander's phones?"

"They should be ok. They're at the other end of the apartment. That should be far enough away."

Dawn gathered up cell phones, watches, and whatnot and carted them all into the kitchen. She pulled open the fridge door and dropped everything into the produce drawer which was glaringly devoid of produce. She set Riley's watch on the bottom shelf so the map was displayed just in front of the middle shelf then closed the door. "Ok, Wils! De-chip my vamp!"

She walked into the dining room and had to squint against the bright light flowing from Willow's hands and covering Spike. The light was brightest on his head, his low back, and his right calf. *_Three chips?* _She stepped forward and gripped Riley's chin in her hand. "Three chips, Riley? What's the third one for?"

He wrenched his head out of her grip and shook it. "No idea. I only knew of two. If I had to guess, I'd say backup tracking chip, but I don't know for sure."

"That better be the truth, Riley. I don't want to kill you." His head snapped up and he had a half-smile on his face. "Oh, don't get me wrong, I **will **kill you, I just don't **want** to."

Thankfully Dawn had her back to Spike when the light flashed, so she didn't end up blinking and half-blind like Riley. She walked over to Spike and ran her fingers through his hair. "You ok?"

He shook his head then winced. "Head hurts a lot, along with my arse, and my right calf, for some reason."

"Apparently you had another chip in your leg. Riley thinks it might have been a backup tracker, but he _says_ he's not sure. Let me go check the maps. Be right back." She jogged into the kitchen and pulled open the fridge then snatched the watch off the shelf. She held it up and looked at the maps. No dot on either one. She pulled the phones and stuff out of the produce drawer and walked back out to the dining room, dropping them on the table near Spike's feet.

She walked up to Riley, holding the watch, and said, "His chips are gone. Does this thing do anything else? Like track that third chip, perhaps?"

Riley just looked at her and didn't say anything. "You're right, Riley. I'm not going to kill you as long as you know something I need to know. How about I make you a deal? You've been hanging there for a while. You're probably hungry or thirsty or whatever. You tell me about the third chip and I'll give you something."

Riley shifted his feet and said, "I'll tell you about the third chip on one condition."

"Which is?"

"Let me go to the bathroom."

She looked at him. "Sure, I can do that. Now, about the chip."

"Bathroom first."

"Um… no. Chip first. I'll let you use the bathroom if you tell me about the chip. If you don't, then you can piss yourself."

He scowled at her. "Press the button on the watch all the way to the right. That's the tracking map for the chip in his leg."

She pressed the button and another map materialized above the watch, showing the area around her apartment. This one was labeled _Hostile 17 IntraSoleus Microchip. _There was no dot blinking on the map. "What activates that chip?"

Riley crossed his legs. "Press the button next to the map button."

She pressed the button he'd indicated and the map flashed. A dot appeared for a second then an error message popped up on the screen. _Error: Microchip not found. Could not be activated. _"Good. Looks like Willow got it."

She tossed the watch on the pile then turned and started walking away and Riley whined, "Bathroom."

She nodded over her shoulder. "Gotta get the keys. Keep your panties on." *_I could just unlock him myself, but he's not helping me without a fight, so screw it. I'm gonna make him suffer for a while.* _She stopped at the table and leaned over Spike. "You doing ok?"

He murmured, "Yeah." She looked at him and got a worried look on her face when she saw the look on his. His face was screwed up in pain and he was panting.

_*He is __**not**__ doing ok. He's in some serious pain.* _She reached out and gently placed her hand on his forehead. "What hurts?"

He winced just a little and murmured, "M' head mostly."

Dawn looked up at Willow. "Should he be in this much pain?"

Willow frowned. "Well, he had those chips for a long time. My guess is his tissues probably grew over them, and the spell isn't exactly gentle. It probably feels like they were ripped out of his body, which is kinda what happened, I guess."

Angel walked through the dining room into the kitchen, carrying two bags, and dropped them on the floor by the back elevator. Xander followed him, carrying one bag, then they disappeared into the living room and returned a minute later, carrying the weapons chest between them. They put it in the elevator and piled the bags on top of it then walked back into the dining room. Angel smirked when he saw Riley dancing around with his legs crossed. He walked over to Dawn and nodded over his shoulder. "What's up with him?"

Dawn looked up. "Oh, he has to pee. Could you get the shackle keys out of my nightstand drawer and take him to the bathroom? Spike's in a lot of pain and I'm going to have him feed from me again so he'll heal. He didn't take much last time, so I don't think it's helping much right now."

Angel nodded then walked around the table and took Willow's hand then they both walked to Dawn's bedroom.

Xander said, "I'll go close all the doors and make sure the windows are closed and locked so Willow can ward them."

Dawn nodded at him as she whispered to Spike. "Can you sit up?"

"Yeah." He started to lift himself off the table, wincing when his head moved. He stilled for a second then slowly maneuvered himself into a sitting position on the edge of the table.

Riley rattled the chain and whined, "Dawn, please."

Dawn glared at him. "Spike is more important to me than your damn bladder. Suck it up, buttercup."

She stepped between Spike's legs and wrapped one arm around him, under his arm to help hold him up, then pulled her hair away from her neck. "Feed, Spike. Take as much as you want."

He vamped and sank his fangs in, pulling mouthful after mouthful as he glared at Riley with amber eyes. The feelings Dawn got from his bite were a lot different this time. There was love, of course, and anger, black and thick, but there was mostly pain. White hot and searing. Dawn gasped as the feelings got stronger the more blood he pulled from her. She held him tighter and rubbed his back, hoping that her touch was at least a little comfort.

After several minutes he slid his fangs out and licked the bite closed. Dawn pulled back and looked at him. "Are you done already? You can have more."

Spike gently shook his head. "Can't, luv. I'm so full I'm 'bout to pop. M' head feels a little better, though. I'll just lie here for a bit and I'll be fine, kitten." She helped him lay back down on the table and he threw his arm over his eyes then went completely still.

Riley shuffled his feet and whispered, "Please."

She looked at him. "I should just let you hang there, considering you lied to me outright about that third chip, but I did promise, and I keep my promises, so hold on, let me see what's holding Angel up. I'll be right back." *_You can suffer for a few more minutes, you lying sack of shit.* _She walked to her bedroom and opened the door then took a step inside and froze. Willow was pressed against the wall next to the nightstand with her legs wrapped around Angel's waist. His pants were down around his knees and he was thrusting into her wildly and growling against her neck. Dawn smirked and backed out of the room, closing the door softly. She walked back out to the dining room and over to Riley. "Angel's busy."

Riley's head dropped and she heard a tiny whimper.

Dawn smiled. "Don't worry, Riley, I'll get you to the bathroom." She reached up and held her hands over the shackles. Soft green light flowed from her palms and the shackles popped open, dropping Riley to the floor. She hooked her hand under his arm and hauled him up then walked him to one of the spare bathrooms. "This one doesn't have a window, so get in there and do your business. I'll be waiting right here."

He shut the door behind him and stumbled to the toilet then gently pulled himself out, wincing from the pain, and groaned loudly as his bladder emptied. He looked down at himself and winced again when he saw how swollen and discolored everything was. *_I'm gonna kick that fucking vamp in the jewels as soon as we get him back to base. Repeatedly. Hell, maybe I'll just cut it off. Not like he's ever gonna need it again.* _He got a thoughtful look on his face. *_Wonder if it'll grow back?* _He chuckled. *_I hope it does. Then I can cut if off again.* _He tucked himself away and turned back to the door.

Dawn called from the other side, "Wash your hands." He smirked and stepped to the sink then looked himself over in the mirror, gently prodding his broken cheekbone. He looked at his bloody chest and stomach then leaned close and peered at the cuts around his right nipple. *_What the fuck? Is that an "A?"* _He snagged a towel off the rack, wet it, and gingerly wiped some of the blood from his chest. *_Yeah. It's his mark. Fucker branded me!* _He threw the bloody towel into the tub then opened the door. Dawn reached in and grabbed his arm then started dragging him back over to the shackles.

He tried to wrench his arm out of her grasp. "You don't have to lock me up. You know everything there is to know."

She tightened her grip and looked at him. "Yeah, like I have time to keep an eye on you. I don't trust you, Riley. You've been nothing but a pain in my ass." She locked one wrist into the shackles then walked to the kitchen and grabbed a banana and a can of soda, handing them to Riley. "Here. Eat." She started to walk over to Spike then stopped when she heard the chain.

Riley looked at her strangely then looked up at the wrist locked into the shackle. He turned around and pulled it down, rattling the chain through the eyebolt until the other shackle hung up on it. He glanced around at Dawn then looked closely at the lock.

Dawn shook her head as she turned around. *_What a dumbass. I'm standing right here.* _She walked up behind Riley and smacked him in the head. "Turn around and eat. You're not gonna get that shackle open without the key, but if you feel like trying, I guess I can put the food back in the kitchen and let you work on it."

He grumbled as he turned around and opened the banana. "Fine."

She left Riley to his lunch and walked over to check on Spike. He was still lying on the table with his arm over his eyes, not moving or breathing. She gently ran her fingers through his hair. "You ok, Spike?"

He stirred then moved his arm and opened his eyes, stretching carefully. "Yeah, pet. Must've nodded off." He sat up and ran his hands through his hair then pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. She threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling him close until she had to break the kiss to catch her breath. He looked around and asked, "Where is everyone?"

"Angel and Willow are in our room and Xander is closing doors."

Spike turned toward the bedroom door. "What's Peaches and Red doin' in our room?"

Dawn giggled, "I sent them in after the shackle keys and they got… distracted."

He smiled. "Distracted, eh?" Just then they heard a scream and a muffled roar.

Dawn laughed, "Well, now that they're done, I'm gonna go pack our stuff. Can you keep an eye on Riley?"

He nodded. "I'll help you when Peaches and Red get back out here."

She kissed him softly then walked to her bedroom door and knocked quietly. She heard a muffled, "Hold on," and stood waiting until a flushed and breathless Willow opened the door. Angel was standing behind her, buttoning his pants, and Dawn smiled. "Have some trouble finding the keys?"

Willow blushed and walked quickly to the nightstand, retrieving the keys from the drawer. "Got 'em. We'll take Riley to the bathroom now, or I mean Angel will, because I so don't want to do that. So... yeah... um... anyway, got the keys."

Dawn laughed, "Don't worry about it, Wils, I already took him. He's eating right now, so can you two go keep an eye on him while Spike and I get our stuff packed? I'll help you with the wards when we're done."

She nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'll get the stuff ready." Angel wrapped his arms around her and walked her out to the dining room, nibbling on her neck the whole way. Dawn shook her head and smiled as she walked into the closet then pulled Spike's duffel from the shelf and started stuffing clothes into it.

She crammed one last pair of jeans into his duffel then zipped it up and pitched it out of the closet. She heard a yelp and a thump. "Bloody hell, woman! Tryin' to kill me?" She poked her head out of the closet and saw Spike on his back on the floor, holding the bag. She laughed as he grumbled, "Bloke can't even walk into his room without gettin' pelted with luggage."

She stepped out and pushed the bag off him then pulled him to his feet. "Sorry, didn't see you there."

He tilted his head as he looked at her. "Didn't you feel me? With your Slayer sense?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I can feel you; I just wasn't paying much attention since I feel you all the time. What took you so long? Hoping I'd have it done before you got here?"

He smiled. "No, Angel and I were securin' the shackle keys so Soldier Boy's mates can get 'im loose when they get here."

She gave him a confused look. "Securing the keys? What does that mean?"

He chuckled, "I'll show you when we get back out there. What's left to pack?"

She walked back into the closet. "Not much. Just the rest of my clothes in here and the stuff in the dresser and bathroom."

He grabbed an empty bag. "I'll get the dresser and loo." He pulled her to him for a long kiss then headed out of the closet and started emptying the dresser. He pulled open a drawer full of knickers and smiled as he pushed it closed and moved on to the next drawer.

She set an empty duffel on the floor and started loading clothes into it, hangers and all, then stuffed her shoes into it and zipped it up. She closed her eyes and extended her senses to see where Spike was. *_Bathroom. This is so cool.*_

She opened her eyes and pitched the bag out of the closet then looked it over to see if she missed anything. She grabbed the few weapons stacked in the corner then stepped out and slung a duffel over her shoulder and carried it all out to the elevator. She lifted the lid of the chest just enough to slip the weapons inside then slung the bag onto the pile and started for the bedroom. Spike met her in the kitchen, carrying the last two bags, and tossed them on the pile then turned to her and took her hand. "I got the stuff out of the nightstands too. Was there anythin' under the bed? I didn't look."

She shook her head. "Nope. That should be it. There might be a few weapons in the living room, but if they get left, oh well. Not like I don't have others. Oh crap! The closet by the main elevator has my other jackets in it. I'd better grab them and I guess I'll make a quick pass through the living room to see if I missed anything."

"Ok, but you gotta see somethin' first." He pulled her into the dining room and up to Riley. She burst out laughing when she saw how Angel and Spike had _secured the keys_.

In the middle of Riley's chest was a key ring with four small keys. It was definitely not going anywhere because it was held to him with packing tape. A lot of packing tape. Strips and strips of it wound around him. He was standing there glaring at Angel and Spike. *_They think this is just hilarious. Wait 'till they're back at the lab. I'll show them how fucking hilarious holy water is.*_


	41. Chapter 41 Babysit the Doofus

Not Long to Wait

Ch 41 – Babysit the Doofus

Dawn looked at all the tape covering Riley's chest and smacked Spike on the arm. "That's just evil."

He grinned. "Now you're gettin' it, pet, but it's not as evil as the original place I wanted to put 'em. Red wouldn't let us."

Xander chuckled, "God, Dawn, you should've seen their faces when she said no. I haven't seen pouting like that since you were a teenager."

Dawn smacked Xander and he grinned as Willow laughed, "I had to threaten Angel with something just horrible before he gave in."

Dawn looked at her. "What'd you threaten him with?"

Willow blushed. "Well, I didn't threaten to do something **to** him. I threatened to not do anything. For a week." A low growl rumbled through Angel's chest and Willow leaned up to kiss him.

Dawn laughed as she wrapped her arms around Spike. "Ok, I get why Angel agreed, but how'd you get Spike to? He's like sixty kinds of stubborn."

Spike turned around and scowled at her then mumbled under his breath, "Am not."

Dawn squeezed him. "Yeah, you are. So what did she do?"

Spike growled, "Told me she'd talk you into the same thing. Girl power and all that." He leaned close and whispered, "You wouldn't have, would you?"

She shook her head. "Probably not. You're just too tasty. Don't think I could keep my hands off you for a whole week."

He grinned against her neck then nipped lightly. "You're pretty tasty yourself, pet."

Xander laughed, "You should have seen Dead Boy! He was standing behind Wils just begging Spike to agree. I think Spike gave in just so he'd stop making that face."

Angel snarled, "I was not begging!"

Xander looked at him. "So the pitiful look on your face as you mouthed _Please_ over and over was what, brooding?"

Angel took a step toward Xander with a low growl and Willow put her hand on his chest. "No fighting, boys. Save it for our impending attack. Dawn and I need to get the other wards up. Are you three going to be good?" They all grumbled and nodded.

Dawn laughed as she followed Willow to the other end of the apartment. Just as they stopped in front of Willow's room, an explosion violently rattled the door to the stairs, dust and smoke puffing through the cracks. Dawn and Willow sprinted back down the hall and skidded to a halt in the dining room. "Looks like we've got company."

Dawn quickly strapped on her pistols and shrugged into her duster as Spike snagged his off the sideboard and put it on, frowning at the dried blood spattered on it. Xander pulled a dagger from a sheath on his leg and Angel turned toward the balcony just as something slammed against the balcony doors. Everyone turned to see three soldiers standing on the balcony looking confused because they hadn't crashed through. They unclipped the ropes from their gear and one tried to kick the door in. He bounced off and almost went over the railing, but another one snagged his arm and pulled him back.

Dawn laughed, "Looks like the wards are holding."

The soldiers on the balcony pointed their weapons at the doors and started firing. The rounds ricocheted in all different directions and one soldier went down with a bullet in his leg. The other two stopped firing and one started beating on the door with the butt of his rifle.

Spike faked a yawn. "Bloody hell, this is startin' to get boring. Guess they didn't figure on goin' up against a witch as strong as our Red. Maybe we should just let 'em in."

They heard something slam against the balcony doors in Dawn's bedroom and Dawn laughed, "Just let me get my stuff out of the closet over there and we'll do that." Dawn pulled her jackets out of the closet then walked leisurely through the living room checking for forgotten items. She picked up the scanner that was still sitting in front of the TV and shoved it down in between the couch cushions. *_They're here, so I doubt anyone is still listening, but just in case.* _She turned off the TV and ejected the disc then gathered up her collection of DVDs. *_Can't leave The Doctor and Captain Jack behind.* _She pulled the drawers in the desk open as another explosion rattled the door to the stairs. She smirked and pulled a few daggers out of one drawer then took her stuff to the elevator and shoved it into the top bag.

She walked back into the dining room to see Spike stretched out on the table with his hands behind his head, humming _I Wanna Be Sedated_. Xander was kicked back in a chair with his hand buried in bag of Ruffles, and Angel and Willow were leaning against the wall kissing. Riley was looking at the soldiers on the balcony and shaking his head as they continued to try to break through the doors. Dawn grinned at them and waved. They scowled. Dawn giggled.

She walked over to the table and crawled up on it, straddling Spike. "All packed. Anything I forgot, the Council can send to me later." She slid her hands under his shirt as she leaned down and kissed him then nibbled down his neck. "Should we let 'em in?"

Spike moaned softly as she scratched her nails across his nipples then wrapped his arms around her and nipped at her neck. "Yeah, let's get this over with."

She sat up and looked down at him. "You good on blood?"

He nodded. "Yeah, kitten. I'm fine."

She jumped off the table and walked over to the balcony doors. One of the men yelled, "Give us the Hostile and we'll let the rest of you go!"

Dawn smiled as she shook her head. "You guys are way too funny." She turned around and said to Willow, "Wils, can you release just this door, or do you have to release them all at once?"

Willow peeled herself away from Angel. "I can release them one at a time." She walked over toward the door and Spike hopped off the table.

Angel snagged Willow's arm. "Hold on, Willow. Let Spike and I get in front of you. We can take a bullet. You can't."

Dawn looked at Angel. "When was the last time you fed? You're looking paler than usual."

He shrugged. "We're out of blood. I was going to pick some up after we were done at the club, but Spike got shot. Don't worry, I should be all right."

Willow put her hand gently on his chest. "You can have some of mine."

He shook his head. "No, you need the strength for your magic."

Dawn walked over to Spike. "Would you mind?"

He looked at Angel then pulled her close and whispered, "Nah, pet. Go ahead."

She nibbled on his ear and whispered, "Love you," then turned in his arms and bared her neck to Angel. "Feed, Angel. We need you at full strength."

Angel looked at Spike who had his arms wrapped tightly around Dawn. "You ok with this?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, mate. She's right. 'Sides, it's her blood. She's free to give it to whoever she wants." He grinned. "Even you."

Angel looked at Willow and she smiled. "It's ok, Angel."

Spike looked around at Riley glaring at them and the men on the balcony then his eyes fell on Xander, still sitting in the chair eating crisps. He cleared his throat, "Um, maybe we should go somewhere a bit more private for this."

Dawn turned to look at him. "Why?"

Spike smiled. "Trust me, pet." He took her hand and led her to the bedroom, motioning for Angel and Willow to follow. He called over his shoulder, "Hold down the fort for a mo', Harris. We'll be back."

He walked into the bedroom and pulled the curtains tight across the balcony doors as the men standing there glared at him. "Sorry gents, this isn't for human eyes."

Willow asked, "What's going on, Spike?"

Spike walked up behind Dawn and slipped her duster off. "Havin' vampires as old as me an' Peaches feed from you is a very sensual experience, Red. The older the vamp, the stronger the feelings. And seein' that Gramps here is **decades **older than me, I didn't want Dawn to be embarrassed should it overwhelm her." He reached around and unbuckled the pistol belt then unclipped the thigh straps and tossed it on the bed as Angel scowled at him.

Willow blushed as she remembered the times Angel bit her and how it made her feel even when he wasn't actually feeding from her. "Oh. Right. Should I go?"

Dawn shook her head. "No Wils. He's your vamp. You should be here."

Angel looked at Dawn. "I'll just take a little. I don't want to hurt you."

Dawn smiled. "Don't worry about it. Take as much as you need. It won't hurt me."

Angel vamped and leaned down to sink his fangs into her neck, trying not to get too close so he wouldn't upset Spike. Dawn closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on Spike's body pressed close to hers, but the feelings from Angel's bite were strong. Angel stepped closer as he drank from her and she gasped as she felt something hard pressing against her hip. Spike growled low in his chest then sank his fangs into the other side of her neck. She felt him get hard against her ass and she moaned as both vampires pulled mouthful after mouthful. Warmth bloomed from the bites and flowed throughout her body. She snaked one arm around Spike and pulled him even closer then wrapped the other around Angel's waist. They both ground against her and she moaned louder. Spike's hand slipped down her stomach and into her jeans, stroking her as he thrust himself against her. She started panting as the feelings got stronger. *_God, this feels good.*_

Willow backed up and sat on the dresser as she watched them. Angel slipped his fangs out of Dawn's neck then turned and walked quickly over to Willow, unbuttoning his pants and pulling himself out. He pushed her skirt up then grasped her hips and pulled her onto him with a loud moan. She wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned back against the wall as he slammed into her.

Spike watched Angel walk away then slipped his fangs out as he popped the button on Dawn's jeans and pushed them down. He turned them both around so they were facing the bed, bent her over, then popped the buttons of his jeans and pulled himself out, sliding into her with a growl. She braced her hands on the edge of the bed and pushed back against him as he grasped her hips and pounded into her, growling and grunting.

Xander heard the growling and grunting and moaning and looked over at the bedroom door with a frown. *_You have __**got**__ to be kidding me. W__e've got armed men all around us and they're in there having an undead orgy.* _He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. *_They're having all the fun while I sit out here and babysit the doofus.*_

He shook his head then stared at the door as pictures started flashing across his mind. *_Wonder who's doing what to who?* _Suddenly he jumped up and darted into the bathroom. He closed the door and leaned on the counter, panting and glaring down at the bulge in his jeans. *_It's Willow and Dawn for Chrissakes! There should be no naked thoughts about Willow and Dawn! So stop it!*_

More pictures flashed across his mind of pale skin and rippled abs. He groaned. *_And absolutely no thoughts about naked vampires either!* _He tried to think about slimy demons, or Star Trek, or anything that would make it go away, but the sounds coming from the bedroom were making it impossible. He saw a bottle of lotion on the counter and squirted some into his hand then groaned again as he unzipped his jeans, pulled himself out, and started stroking furiously. *_I can't believe I'm doing this! This is wrong on so many levels.* _More pictures of pale skin, flexing muscles, and a scarred eyebrow flashed across his mind as he tried to keep the volume down on his moaning and panting.

Screams echoed through the apartment closely followed by loud roaring and a loud moan from the guest bathroom.


	42. Chapter 42 Kinda Under Attack

Not Long to Wait

Ch 42 – Kinda Under Attack

Spike buttoned up as Dawn pulled her pants up and turned to face him. He pulled her close and whispered into her hair, "You ok, luv?"

She smiled. "Yeah. That was intense." She pulled back to look at him. "Tell me something. You've fed from my arm and my neck. Why are the feelings so much stronger when you bite my neck?"

Spike shrugged. "'Cause the artery is bigger and close to the surface. It'd be strong at any of the other large arteries as well."

She nodded. "Like the brachial artery in my arm and the femoral artery in my leg?"

Spike nodded and laughed, "Yeah. When did you get so up on human anatomy?"

She laughed, "Helping to fix up Buffy and the potentials. I didn't really have much else to contribute, so I played medic. I don't know everything there is to know, but I could probably pass an entry level medical school exam."

Angel zipped his pants up and wobbled a little as the full power of Dawn's blood hit him. "Wow. Her blood is strong."

Spike smiled. "I know. Quite a kick, yeah? Slayer and Key. Heady stuff. How long's it been since you had blood that wasn't bagged?"

Angel smiled at Willow. "Not very long. Willow gave me a little to help with my hangover. Before that, I hadn't had any human blood in years." He pulled her close and licked his lips then nibbled on her neck. "It's delicious and powerful."

Willow looked over Angel's shoulder at Dawn. "This was um… interesting."

Dawn walked over to Willow with a look of concern. "Are you ok, Wils? I know this was kind of weird, especially for you. I'm used to being around stuff like this since I've worked in lots of different strip clubs where there was more going on than just stripping, and Angel and Spike are vampires, so you know, 'nuff said there, but you've got to be making with the major wiggins."

Willow blushed a little then her resolve face made an appearance. "I was wigging out when you wrapped your arms around both of them, I mean threesome! Hello!I always thought stuff like that was dirty and bad, but then I saw the look on your face and I decided that it couldn't be bad if it was making you feel that good, and hey, I've been all with the alternative lifestyle too. You're right, Dawnie. We're not normal. I mean like regular normal. You know, go to work, and have 2.8 kids, and drive a minivan normal."

She stood up and pulled Dawn into a hug. "I'm fine. I'm not freaked out or embarrassed or anything. I mean, I've never had sex with other people in the room before, so that was kinda wiggy, but it's not like you guys are strangers off the street, so it's ok." She backed up and pulled Angel's arms around her. "One thing, though." She smiled at Spike and Dawn then turned to look up at Angel.

He bent down and kissed her. "What?"

She blushed a little when she said, "Next time, I wanna be the meat in the vampire sandwich," then burst out laughing as three mouths dropped open under three sets of wide eyes.

Spike recovered first and smirked at her. "Looks like my work here is done, luv. You're right corrupted." He grinned at Angel. "I've turned her to the dark side, Peaches. You're welcome."

They were all laughing as they walked back out to the dining room. Xander was back in his chair, looking ashamed, and Riley was smirking at him. Xander looked over. "What the hell was going on in there?" Spike started to speak and Xander held up his hand. "You know what? I don't want to know."

Spike smirked at him. "You mean to tell me that you and Demon Girl…"

Xander jumped to his feet. "Don't even go there, Fang Face."

Spike held up his hands. "Sorry, Xander. Didn't mean anythin' by it."

Riley glared at them. "You're all depraved. Every last one of you." He looked between Dawn and Willow. "It's bad enough you let that filth touch you, but this little episode? Disgusting."

Dawn started toward Riley, but Willow's hand on her arm stopped her. Dawn turned and gave her a puzzled look as Willow stepped forward. "This one's mine."

Willow stepped in front of Riley and looked up at him then reached up and slapped him soundly across the face, dragging her nails across his cheek and leaving four deep furrows. "Shut up, Riley. There's nothing wrong with what we did, and I'm not gonna let you, of all people, make me feel bad about it." She stepped closer. "So. Just. Shut. Up."

He glared down at her. "You think I'm scared of you? You're a slut. A vampire's slut. You let yourself be used for the pleasure of those things. You actually think he loves you? Well, he doesn't. You're a snack and a hole to fuck. That's it."

Willow jerked like she'd been slapped then backed slowly away from him. She stood and stared at him as the air around her started crackling with energy. Dawn darted forward and stepped between Riley and Willow as Willow's eyes started turning black. She put her hands on Willow's shoulders as Xander jumped forward and wrapped his arms around her. Black streaks started coursing through her hair as Xander whispered to her, "Don't do it, Wils. He's not worth it. Angel loves you. You know he does. None of what Riley said was true."

Dawn stepped close to Willow and whispered in her other ear, "Xan's right. Don't do this again, Willow. Don't let Riley get to you. Please, Wils. Just let it go."

Riley sneered, "Ooo! Scary. She's changing her hair color. Big whoop."

Angel was in front of Riley in the blink of an eye. He wrapped his hand around Riley's throat and his demon hissed, "She's 'bout to skin yer feckin' hide, boyo, and I should let 'er." Angel dropped his head and struggled to force the demon back as his hand squeezed Riley's neck. He shuddered then looked up at Riley and whispered, "But I won't. It would hurt her more than it hurts you." He pushed Riley away then turned to Willow and reached out to caress her cheek. "Willow, I love you. You don't have to do this. Please." Her coal black eyes locked with his chocolate brown ones and she gasped.

Riley snorted and started to open his mouth then his head snapped back and blood spurted out of his broken nose. Spike glared up at him. "Shut your gob, Finn. They're tryin' to save your worthless life, you stupid git."

Willow started trembling and sagged in Xander's arms as the black bled out of her eyes and hair. She looked up at Riley with tears streaming down her face. "What happened to you, Riley? How could you say those things? You used to be our friend. You helped rescue Oz. You fought with us. How did you get so mean?" Dawn backed up and let Angel step in to pick Willow up. Xander let her go as Angel scooped her up and cradled her to his chest. She whispered over his shoulder, "You're broken, Riley. Broken." Angel carried her into the living room and sat down on the couch, holding her close and whispering into her hair.

Dawn stepped forward and wrapped her arm around Spike then pulled Xander in with the other one. "God, that was close."

Riley chuckled and Spike spun to face him. "We've had all we're gonna take from you." He landed a vicious punch to Riley's gut then bent down and picked up the tape. He slapped three strips of tape across Riley's mouth and wrapped a long strip all the way around his head then dropped the tape and backed up.

Dawn wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "Thank you."

Xander walked into the living room and dropped down in the chair. "You ok, Wils?"

She lifted her tear-stained face away from Angel's chest and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'll be fine." Dawn and Spike walked into the living room and sat at the other end of the couch. Another explosion rattled the door to the stairs and everyone's heads turned in that direction.

Willow sat up and wiped her sleeve across her face. "Sorry I went all Dark Willow on you guys."

Spike tilted his head as he looked at her. "Dark Willow?"

She looked over at him. "Oh, that's right, you left before it happened. Um, you remember Warren Mears, right?"

Spike ducked his head in embarrassment as he nodded and muttered, "Yeah. Bloke that built the bot."

Willow sighed, "Yeah, him. I killed him."

Spike's head flew up. "You what?"

"He shot Tara and I just lost it. I tracked him down, tied him up, and skinned him alive with my magic."

Spike goggled at her. "He shot Glinda? Is she..."

She looked at the floor. "Yeah. She's dead."

Another explosion echoed through the apartment and they heard loud banging coming from the dining room. Xander got up. "We'll have to fill Spike in later. We're still kinda under attack." He walked toward the dining room as everyone else got up off the couch.

Spike wrapped his arm around Willow's shoulders and hugged her to him. "It's ok, Willow. You were justified. Glinda was a bit of all right and never hurt a soul. That bastard deserved it."

She hugged him and whispered, "Thanks, Spike."

They made their way to the dining room and Dawn walked over to the balcony doors as Angel and Spike stepped in front of Willow. She closed her eyes and chanted a few words in Latin. A light flashed briefly across the doors and Dawn stepped forward and pulled one open. She smiled at the men. "Please come in." Two of them stepped into the room with their weapons trained on Spike and Angel. The one with the bullet in his leg limped in after them, holding his weapon on Dawn.

Spike raised his hands and pretended to be scared. "Blimey, I'm terrified. Please don't shoot. I'm unarmed. Blah. Blah. Blah." He looked over his shoulder, "Red?"

Willow giggled and started chanting something low. One of the men opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. They were frozen. Dawn stepped up behind them, "Three down, who knows how many to go. Should we knock them out?"

Spike grinned. "No, I've a better idea." He walked over to Riley and picked up the roll of packing tape and a knife.


	43. Chapter 43 SpongeBob

Not Long to Wait

Ch 43 – SpongeBob

Twenty minutes later, the dining room was full of frozen soldiers. There were ten soldiers in all, not counting Riley, all frozen in place, still holding their weapons. Riley was standing in the center of the room seething and glaring daggers at everyone. The door to the stairs was cracked and pitted and hanging off one hinge because they blew it up after Willow released the ward instead of just opening it.

Spike and Angel were cutting the soldier's uniforms into shreds as Xander wound the packing tape around their ankles and hands. Dawn and Willow were sitting on the table swinging their legs and giggling.

Dawn pointed to one soldier. "SpongeBob boxers? Seriously? How old is this guy?"

Xander looked up at Dawn and huffed, "Hey! SpongeBob is cool!" then went back to work taping up a soldier as he hummed the SpongeBob theme song under his breath.

Willow pointed to another one. "What about that one? What is that all over his?"

Dawn peered at them and shook her head. "Can't make it out."

Spike laughed, "It's words, pet. His knickers say _love machine_ all over in little bitty letters."

Xander chuckled, "At least he's wearing some; not going commando like that guy over there." He waved to a soldier standing almost in the living room doorway. "It was so not of the good trying to wrap his ankles without bumping into Mr. Happy."

Spike chuckled, "Sorry, Harris. Didn't think to do a knickers check 'fore I cut his trousers off."

Xander patted the end of the tape down on the last soldier then stood and smiled. "That should do it. It'll take them a while to get out of the tape, and when they do I doubt they'll come after us in their underwear… or lack of. This was an awesome idea, Spike."

Spike smiled. "Ta, Harris. I do have 'em on occasion." He stepped in front of Riley. "We're gonna hit the road, mate. It's been fun catchin' up and all that, but if I ever clap eyes on you again… I'll kill you."

Dawn stepped up behind Spike and wrapped her arms around him. "And if he doesn't, I will. We could've killed you today, Riley, but we didn't. You should remember that. Tell your boss that if any of you Initiative assholes come after us again, I'll shoot first and ask questions later."

Spike chuckled, "I'll just bite. I won't ask any questions." He turned around and pulled Dawn into a kiss. "We should get on the road, pet. Sun'll be up soon and we'll have to find someplace to hole up."

Angel shook his head. "My SUV has tempered windows. I can drive in the sun."

Dawn smiled as she walked over to the phone on the wall and punched a number. "Hi, this is Miss Summers. Could you please have someone bring my car around to my back elevator?" She paused for a minute then said, "No, just leave the keys in it. I'll be down in a few minutes. Thanks."

Spike tilted his head at her. "You have a car, pet?"

Dawn nodded. "Yeah. I pretty much only use it when I'm moving to another town."

"Why's that?"

She smiled. "Tried driving it to work, but I always patrol after and I'd end up miles away then have to walk back to get it. Figured it was just easier to take a cab."

Xander chuckled, "It's some flashy little sports car, isn't it? Probably a cherry red convertible."

Dawn shook her head. "Nope." She gave Angel a secretive look and he smiled.

Spike looked at Dawn then at Angel then back at Dawn. "What's goin' on with you two?"

Dawn walked over to Spike and pulled him into a kiss. "Nothing. Let's get going." She walked to the back elevator and sent it down then followed everyone to the main elevator. She stepped inside and said, "Everybody wave."

They all waved and grinned at Riley who just glowered back at them as the doors slid closed.

Angel asked as the elevator doors opened on the lobby, "Where are we going, anyway?"

Xander said, "I've got to get back. I've got a house full of younger potentials that have been on their own for a week. I figure I'll probably have some repairs to make. They're kind of hard on the furniture. And the doors. And the walls."

Dawn laughed, "How many do you have now, Xan?"

"Eight. G-Man said I should be getting three more in a few weeks. I've got another room almost built, so I've got to get back and finish that up, too."

Spike looked at Xander. "You a Watcher now, Harris?"

Xander nodded. "Kind of. I'm not all tweedy and buried in books like Giles, but I help the girls train and I'm mostly in charge."

Spike laughed, "Mostly?"

Xander grinned. "Yeah. I'm in charge when it comes to fixing things and paying for things, and I assign the training and patrolling schedules, but Regina handles everything else. She's the oldest potential and she takes care of the girly stuff."

Angel pulled open the door to the garage. "I can run you out to the airport. When's your flight?"

Xander shrugged. "Anytime. There's a private jet waiting at the airport. Employees of the Council don't fly commercial."

Spike smirked. "Well, aren't you posh?" He looked at Willow. "Where you off to, Red? Back to merry old England?"

She smiled and blushed a little. "Not sure. Haven't really thought about it."

Dawn elbowed Angel. "Sounds like somebody needs to ask somebody else to come live with them."

Angel stopped and snagged Willow's arm. "Do you want to come live with me? I don't want you to give up your job if you don't want to. I know you love it."

She smiled. "I love you, Angel, and I'd love to live with you. And don't worry about my job. I can do research anywhere." He grinned and pulled her into a hug.

Spike chuckled and wrapped his arm around Dawn's shoulders as they walked toward Angel's SUV. "What 'bout us, luv? Where are…" He stopped walking and gaped at the large black car parked next to Angel's. "Dawn? Is that what I think it is?"

She grinned at the expression of awe on his face. "Yeah. It's your old DeSoto from Sunnydale."

He stammered, "What? How?"

She giggled. "I asked Angel to drive it to LA when he came down to give Buffy that necklace."

Spike walked around the car, skimming his hand lovingly over the surface. He opened the door and peered around inside then whistled, "It's beautiful, pet. And clean. Cleanest I've ever seen it, and I love the tinted windows, but there's one problem. The paint is gone from the windscreen. I can't drive it in the daylight."

Dawn laughed, "Who said you were gonna be driving? It's my car."

Spike looked crestfallen and dropped his eyes to the floor as he stammered, "Oh… uh… yeah…"

She laughed again, "I'm just kidding, Spike. It's your car and you can drive it during the day. Angel had the original windows replaced with tempered ones like his."

Spike looked up at her grinning like a kid at Christmas. He walked over to her and pulled her into a hug then kissed her deeply. "Thanks, pet." He walked over to Angel and held out his hand. "Thanks, Angel."

Angel shook his hand. "No problem, Spike. Just try to keep it clean, ok? You wouldn't believe how many empty liquor bottles and burrito wrappers we pulled out of that thing."

Xander looked at Spike. "Burritos?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. There was this tiny shop close to my crypt that had the best burritos I've ever tasted. I used to load up on 'em and drive 'round drinkin' and eatin' burritos while I looked for somethin' to pound on."

Xander chuckled. "You do realize you're a vampire, right? Undead creature of the night? You're supposed to drink blood, not scarf burritos and mainline Jack Daniels."

Spike looked at Xander. "Yeah? Well, I do a lot of things vampires aren't supposed to. I'm unique."

Xander laughed, "That's one word for it."

Dawn opened the door and grabbed the keys then walked around to the trunk and popped it open. "Angel said he found something buried in the trunk that you probably want." She pulled out a wooden box with an intricate carving on the lid and handed it to Spike. "I didn't open it."

Angel smiled. "Nobody at the firm opened it, either."

Spike delicately took the box from her and looked it over. "God, pet. I didn't think I'd ever see this again." He gently opened the lid and moved some stuff around then turned around and discreetly rubbed his eyes. He pulled something out of the box and turned back to Dawn.

"I'd like you to have this." He held out his hand and slowly opened his fingers.

She gasped when she saw the delicate silver chain with a small teardrop emerald nestled in it. "Spike! It's beautiful!"

"It was my Mum's. She wanted me to give it to the woman I was to marry, but I died 'fore that could happen." He put the box down on the roof of the car and held the necklace up to Dawn. She turned around and held her hair out of the way as he fastened it around her neck then turned to face him with a huge smile.

"Thank you, Spike. I love it."

He pulled her close and whispered into her hair, "I love you."

Xander reached for the box on the roof and Spike's hand shot out lightning quick and snagged his arm. "Don't."

Xander pulled his arm back. "Sorry. What's in there?"

Spike picked up the box and held it close to his chest. "Things of mine that are of no interest to you." He stuffed the box under the driver's seat of the DeSoto and turned around. "We should get the bags loaded 'fore the gits upstairs get loose, 'less you want me to start killin' 'em."

He walked over to the elevator and punched the button then started pulling bags off the pile. He carried over two duffels and slung them into the trunk as Dawn brought over the third one.

Angel opened the back of his SUV and frowned at the blood all over the floor. "Willow, could you get rid of that, please?"

"Sure, Angel." She walked over to the back and held her hands over the floor then chanted and blinked the blood away. Xander and Angel got their bags loaded then Dawn and Spike picked up the weapons chest and slid it into the trunk next to the bags.

Willow pointed to the floor of the elevator. "Wow, that's a lot of blood."

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, it's Spike's." She turned around and showed Willow the back of her duster. "Look, it's all over my coat."

Spike flicked a bit of dried blood off his shoulder and muttered, "Mine too."

Willow took their arms and pulled them over in front of the elevator. "Stand here and close your eyes." She started chanting and the light flowed from her hands and blinked the blood off the floor and their coats. "I'm done."

Spike looked over his duster and smiled. "Ta, Red." He walked back over to the DeSoto and dropped into the driver's seat. "Where we headed?"

Angel walked over and leaned on the car. "I've got to take Xander to the airport then I guess we'll head out to LA."

Dawn climbed over Spike and settled in next to him. "What about Tony? We really should go say goodbye or something. He did help out."

Spike nodded. "Yeah. Where d'you suppose he is?"

Angel pulled out his phone and punched a number. "Tompkins? Angel. Where's Tony?" He nodded his head as he listened to his lawyer then said, "Ok, thanks." He closed his phone and dropped it into his pocket. "He's at Club Stud going through Alan's office. He wants to have it ready when the employees get there so their memories can be altered."

Spike started to pull the door shut. "Ok, Peaches. Meet you there, yeah?"

Willow said, "Hey Dawn, you should probably call Giles."

Dawn looked at her. "Why?"

Willow smiled. "Uh… Slayer."

Dawn laughed, "Oh, right. I'll call him on the way."

Spike pulled the door shut and started the car then sat back and smiled as he listened to the loud roar of the engine echoing through the garage. "Forgot how good this thing sounded, pet. Thanks again."

She snuggled up next to him and kissed his neck. "You're welcome."

Angel backed up and headed slowly for the exit. Spike backed up and waited until Angel was almost out before he revved the engine and peeled out, squealing the tires and leaving smoking tire marks through the garage. Dawn squealed as the car shot out of the garage entrance and screeched around the corner. Once it was straightened out and sedately following Angel she laughed, "You'd better be careful, Mr. No Driver's License. I really don't want to have to come bail you out of jail when you get pulled over for running over a nun or something. Actually, I'd probably have to bust you out once they find out you don't have any kind of ID or anything."

He smirked at her. "I've been stopped before, pet."

She looked at him. "What'd you do?"

He shrugged and smiled. "Ate the bobby."

She smacked his arm. "Well you can't do that anymore, so you'd better be good." She pulled out her cell phone and punched a number then leaned over and nibbled on his neck while she waited for Giles to pick up.

"Giles? Hi, it's Dawn."

"No, everything's fine. Well, not totally fine. The Initiative found Spike, and Riley and his squad or whatever tried to capture him."

"No. No. He's ok. He got shot with a crossbow but he's fine now."

"No, we're actually moving out. He had three chips in him, not just the one, and they used them to track him to the apartment so we can't stay there."

"No, the chips are gone now. Willow took them out."

"I know, Giles. He's not going to do anything, alright? I thought we were past this."

"No, all the soldiers are fine. They're tied up in the apartment."

"God, Giles! Spike didn't kill any of them; he didn't even bite any! You really need to get over the whole chip being gone thing. Spike's fine. He's not going to go on a bloody rampage."

"I don't know where we're going yet. Um, I kinda need to tell you something else."

"I'm the Slayer."


	44. Chapter 44 Knackered

Not Long to Wait

Ch 44 – Knackered

SpongeBob boxers was the first one to wake up. He tried to take a step forward and promptly fell on his face with a loud thud. Then he tried to put his weapon down and found that it was taped to his hands. He maneuvered himself to a sitting position and looked down at his feet. *_Tape? How the hell did my ankles get taped? And my hands? And where's my clothes? What the fuck?*_

He looked around and saw Agent Finn hanging from a chain in the middle of the room and the rest of his squad slowly waking up with most of them falling over as soon as they did. *_Man, he looks pissed. I'd hate to be the one he's pissed at. What the fuck is going on? Last thing I remember is that really hot girl opening the door and letting us in.*_

The noise level in the room became deafening as the men realized they couldn't move their hands or feet because of the tape. One of them finally calmed down enough to notice the knives in the toolbox and managed to grab one with two of his fingers then poked the guy closest to him with his rifle. "Turn around. I'll cut your hands loose."

He got the man's hands free without slicing him up too badly. Once his hands were free, he dropped his rifle and took the knife and started cutting everyone else loose. The one that got shot in the leg looked down and was surprised to find his leg bandaged. He nudged the guy standing next to him and whispered, "What happened?"

The guy shrugged. "No idea." A loud rattling got their attention and they all turned to stare at Finn who was hanging from the chain with a look of pure hatred on his face. SpongeBob boxers picked up a knife and walked over to him. The tape on his mouth was wound completely around his head. He lifted it enough to slip the blade of the knife underneath and sliced through it then started slowly pulling the tape off his mouth. Finn jerked his head back and stared at SpongeBob boxers with a look that said clearly, '_Quit being such a pansy ass and just pull it off!' _He grasped the end of the tape and gave it a hard yank.

Everyone jumped when Finn started shouting, "Fuck! Fucking vampires! I'm gonna fucking kill them both!" He glared down at SpongeBob boxers and snarled, "Don't just stand there, Oleson! Get me outta this!"

Oleson looked at the keys taped to Finn's chest and decided he wasn't going to try pulling the tape off. *_Let him do that himself. I don't want to spend the next six months cleaning the john.* _He carefully cut around the keys with the point of the knife then pulled them loose and unlocked the shackles. Finn dropped to the floor and started rubbing his wrists then got to his feet and pointed at Mr. Commando. "Smith, find something to put on. I don't care what, just cover that up. Point forward you wear underwear. That's an order. I don't ever want to see that again."

Smith snapped to attention and shouted, "Yes, Sir!" then jogged toward Dawn's bedroom.

"Simms, get on the horn and get Branch over here with our bags. We'll meet him in the garage."

Simms snapped a salute and picked up a small radio then walked to a quiet corner of the room. One of the soldiers walked up to Finn and looked him over. "Excuse me for saying so, sir, but you look like shit."

Finn glared at him. "And your point is?"

The soldier swallowed. "Um… just that… um… do you need medical care?"

Finn laughed, "Probably, but it's gonna have to wait."

The soldier looked at the tape on his chest and noticed something under it. "Sir? Is that an 'A' carved into your chest?"

Finn looked down at his chest and growled, "Fuck yes. Fucking vampire marked me." He pointed to his broken cheekbone and nose. "Hostile 17's the one who did this." He pointed to the two bruises on his jaw. "His little bitch of a girlfriend gave me this." He pointed to the furrows down his cheek. "The witch gave me those, and Xander fucking Harris knocked me out, if you can believe that."

"So all the screaming we heard?"

Finn motioned to his bloody chest and stomach. "That was me being tortured by Angelus. I was trying to keep them from finding out that Hostile 17 had other tracking chips."

"Did they find out?"

"Yeah. The witch did some kind of spell on him and removed all three chips."

The soldier frowned. "Shit. So how do we track him now?"

Finn shook his head. "**We** don't. You guys are going to pack up and go back to base. I've got something to take care of first."

Smith walked back into the dining room wrapped in a towel. "This is all I could find, sir."

Finn nodded. "It'll do," as he squatted down by the pile of his stuff and picked up his watch. He stood and said, "I'm gonna take a quick shower. Pack up. I'll be out in a few." He walked into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and stripped out of his underwear. He picked at the edge of the tape on his chest and started pulling it off then hissed and stopped. He looked at all the cuts on his chest and shrugged. *_Guess I'll just leave it for now. At least it's stopping the bleeding.* _He patted the end of the tape back down and picked up the watch then hit the two outside buttons at the same time.

A map appeared above the watch. He pushed the two inside buttons at the same time and a message box appeared on the map. _Hostile 17 ExtraParietal Tracking Tag Activated. _A blinking red dot appeared on the map. It was moving quickly in a northward direction. He sneered. *_Got you now, you fuck. The witch thought she got all your trackers. She did. Well, the ones made of aluminum and silicon. This one's all plastic.* _His mouth curled into an evil grin that would almost put Angelus to shame. *_He'll never see me coming.*_

X

XXXX

X

They pulled into the parking lot next to the club and Spike screeched to a stop beside Angel's SUV. Everyone climbed out and walked down the sidewalk toward the front door as Spike looked up at the sky. "The sun'll be up in 'bout ten minutes. We plannin' on stayin' here all day?"

Angel gauged the distance from the front door to the cars. "We could probably make it to the cars without bursting into flames. Might get a little singed, but as old as we are, I think we'll be alright."

Dawn's face almost split in two as she yawned, "Or we could get some sleep. I'm beat."

Xander laughed, "Where we gonna sleep in a strip club?"

Dawn looked over at him, blinking tiredly. "Mine had an apartment above the club." She looked at Spike. "What about this one? Is there anywhere to sleep?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, actually I think Alan lived upstairs. Never been up there, but we could have a look. Tony'd probably know."

Willow asked, "Did you call Giles?"

Dawn giggled, "Yeah. He dropped the phone when I told him I was the Slayer. Then he cleaned his glasses and said _Dear Lord _a lot. He said he'd inform the Council and call me back later to tell me where I'm needed."

Willow frowned. "He didn't want to know how you knew or anything?"

"He asked me if I was sure and I told him that Spike and Angel could feel me and I could feel them. That seemed to convince him. I mean, what better test to see if I'm the Slayer than to ask a vampire, right?"

They made it to the door just as Willow said, "Yeah, I guess. I'm still with the wiggins about you being Called in the first place." She pulled on the door but it was locked. "Tony's supposed to be here, isn't he?"

Angel nodded. "That's what Tompkins said. We could try knocking." He glanced up at the sky.

Dawn followed his gaze and noticed the barest sliver of sunlight peeking over the horizon. "Or I could just open it before you two become dust-buster food." She held her hand over the lock and the door popped open. She pulled it open wide and nodded to Angel and Spike. "After you."

They walked into the dark stage area and Spike shouted for Tony. A light came on in the hallway at the back and Tony shouted, "Who's there?"

"It's me, mate."

Tony flipped on the club lights and walked toward them, smiling. "What are you guys doing here?"

Spike scowled. "Ran into an old friend that wasn't all that friendly. Mind if we crash here for the day?" He wrapped his arm around Dawn's shoulders. "My lady here is right knackered and I could do with a bit of kip myself."

Tony looked them over. "You all look exhausted. Alan's apartment – or actually my apartment – is upstairs. I haven't been up there yet so I don't know what kind of condition it's in, but if it's anything like the office... well, good luck."

Spike chuckled, "Ta, mate. You gonna be here for a while?"

Tony grinned. "Yeah. I'm gonna be here. Kinda live here now."

Spike steered Dawn toward the stairs and nodded over his shoulder at the front door. "You might want to lock that back up. Dawn opened it."

Tony looked at the door. "Right. Thanks. Later, Spike."

They trudged up the stairs and Xander opened the door to the apartment then made a face at the smell that came wafting out. "Whew! It smells like someone died in there." He stepped into the room and felt for the light switch then gasped when the light came on. "Although you'd never find them in all this crap." He looked over at Spike and smirked. "And you thought my apartment was a mess."

Spike chuckled, "Your flat was sterile as a hospital compared to this. Gah! I've seen fungus demon nests that were tidier."

Angel walked down a dark hallway and opened the first door he came to. "This room looks fairly decent. The bed's made and I don't smell anything too bad." He opened the door across the hall then quickly pulled it shut again. "No." He walked to the next room and opened the door. "This one's good."

Xander passed him and opened the next door. "This room looks clean. I'll take this one." He stepped in and closed the door behind him then fell on the bed with a loud sigh. He lifted his head and shouted, "Hey! Only wake me up if the building catches fire!"

Spike muttered, "Will do," as he ushered Dawn into the first room Angel had found. He nodded to Angel who was doing the same for Willow. "'Night, Peaches."

Angels nodded back. "Goodnight, Spike."


	45. Chapter 45 Viciously Cute

Not Long to Wait

Ch 45 - Viciously Cute

Angel put his empty glass down on the bar and leaned back in his chair. "Have you decided where you're going yet?'

Spike downed another shot of Jack and shook his head. "Nope. Bit's waitin' for the Watcher to ring back. Guess we'll stay here 'till he does."

The front door opened and several people walked in. A few of them headed toward the dancer's dressing room and the others walked toward the room behind the bar, nodding to Spike as they passed. Spike sat up and called everyone over, "I'm to tell you lot to report to the office 'fore you do anythin' else."

They all nodded or shrugged and made their way down the hall. The office door opened and a soft purple light flowed into the hallway. The group blinked at the light as they walked slowly through the door.

Spike watched the light disappear as the door closed on it then looked at Angel. "So what's goin' on in there anyway?"

Angel smiled. "Memory alteration. The purple light is kind of like a reset button. When they walk into it, it resets their memories of the past week and overwrites them with new ones."

"So, if I were to walk into Tony's office I'd forget everything that's happened in the past week?"

Angel shook his head. "No. It only rewrites memories pertaining to this club and who owns it. Memories made away from here won't be affected."

"How long will the light be there?"

"Until Tony tells Tompkins that all the employees have been through it."

Spike smiled. "Well, isn't that right dandy." He walked around behind the bar as another group walked through the door. He waved them over and directed them to the office then refilled Angel's beer glass and pulled another bottle of Jack out from under the counter.

Angel watched them walk down the hall then turned to Spike. "You know, you could always come to LA."

Spike looked at him as he sat back down in his chair and poured a shot. "Thanks for the offer, Peaches, but I don't fancy hangin' 'bout with suits. I can only take so much lawyer 'fore my demon wants to start snackin'."

Angel chuckled. "You don't have to stay at the firm; you could stay at the Hyperion."

Spike smiled. "You still have that old place? Thought you'd have given it up when you went all posh and uptown."

Angel shrugged. "I was thinking about having it razed until Harmony started complaining about finding an apartment that would lease to a vampire. She found one, but it got me thinking about other demons that might not have it so easy because they don't look human. I had the place remodeled and turned it into a demon boarding house."

Spike leaned his chair back and laughed at the ceiling. "That's rich, that is. Angelus, Bloody Scourge of Europe, is a den mother for wayward demons."

Angel laughed, "I am not a _den mother_. I don't even run the place. My son does."

Spike's head snapped around to stare at Angel. He brought a finger up and jiggled it around in his ear. "M' not sure I heard you proper. Did you say your_**son**_?"

Angel smiled. "Yeah. His name's Connor."

Spike thumped the front legs of his chair back onto the floor and turned to fully face Angel. "Care to explain how a vampire has a sprog? 'Cause last time I checked, that wasn't possible."

Angel shrugged. "It's a long story, but short version: Darla was brought back as a human, but she was dying of syphilis. I went through the Trials to save her. Didn't work. Drusilla sired her. I got her pregnant because I was owed a life. She staked herself to save Connor and now I have a son."

Spike just blinked at him. Angel snapped his fingers in front of Spike's face and he jerked then downed three shots before he turned back to Angel. "So, Darla's alive, then vamped, then pregnant, then dust. And you have a kid."

Angel nodded. "Um, yeah. That about sums it up."

Spike downed another shot. "And Dru?"

"Dust. She walked out into the sunlight one morning from what I heard."

Spike looked down at the bar. "Yeah." He looked back up at Angel. "I felt it when she dusted, but I'd hoped… well, doesn't matter now. The bleedin' pixies were probably chatterin' to her about the soddin' sunshine and I wasn't there to stop her from tryin' to see it."

Another few people walked in and Spike pointed them to the office then leaned back in the chair, picked up the bottle of Jack and took a long drink.

Angel reached over and took the bottle from him. "You're not still pining away after Drusilla, are you?"

Spike shrugged. "Yes. No. I don't know." He looked up at Angel. "I think I miss her, but then I think I don't. We were together for over a century, but I don't think she ever really loved me, you know? She depended on me to take care of her, and I think she cared for me in her own way, but it wasn't love."

Angel said quietly, "Dawn loves you, Spike. With everything that she is."

Spike grinned. "Yeah. I know. She's an amazin' woman. Hard to believe she wants somethin' as damaged and borderline barmy as me."

Angel chuckled, "Yeah, I've worried about her sanity myself, but she does love you. Don't screw that up."

"I've no plans to, mate. I'll be with her as long as she'll have me." He poured another shot and raised his glass. Angel raised his and Spike toasted, "To our birds. Strong, beautiful women who're brave enough to love us."

Angel clinked his glass against Spike's and laughed, "Here, here." They both lifted their glasses and drained them.

Dawn walked up behind Spike followed by Xander and Willow. "What are you guys drinking to?"

Spike turned his chair around and wrapped his arms around Dawn, pulling her close. He buried his face in her hair and murmured, "You and Red."

She lifted his head and softly kissed him. "What about us?"

Angel pulled Willow close and kissed her gently. "Just that we're happy to have you, and amazed that you love us."

Dawn pulled back and looked at Spike. "I don't know what's so amazing about me loving you, Spike. You're very lovable. And cute. And cuddly."

"Oi! I am not cuddly!"

Dawn laughed, "And did I mention stubborn?"

Willow giggled, "Angel's cuddly, too. And cute."

Angel looked at Spike. "I think we opened a can of worms."

Spike chuckled, "Yeah. These birds are gonna ruin our reputations if they go about spoutin' how _cuddly _we are_._" He looked at Willow and Dawn with his best glare. "Angel and I are Master Vampires. We're vicious and dangerous. We. Are. Not. Cuddly."

Xander burst out laughing. "Oh give it up! You're both completely whipped! How about this? You're viciously cute and dangerously cuddly."

Dawn and Willow burst into giggles, Spike shot Xander the two finger salute, and Angel scowled. Spike looked up as another few employees came straggling in. "Oi! You lot get back to the office. You're late! Alan's gonna sack you if you don't shift your arses."

Dawn watched them hurry down the hallway and looked at Spike. "How do you know they're late?"

He shrugged as he poured another shot. "I don't."

She smiled at him. "You're evil."

He nodded. "Yep. Evil. Not cuddly." He downed the shot and slammed his glass down on the bar. "You lot want a drink? Peaches and I are halfway pissed. You should join us."

Angel laughed, "I've had exactly three glasses of beer. I'm not even in the same neighborhood as _pissed._ You, on the other hand, are halfway through your second bottle of Jack."

Xander looked at his watch. "I should probably get going. Regina called me about an hour ago. Apparently a couple of the girls decided to stage a sword fighting competition in the living room. We've got four girls with stitches and half a dozen swords stuck in the walls and furniture. And we need a new TV. She's grounded all of them to their rooms until I get home."

Spike chuckled, "So? Let 'em stew for a bit and 'ave a drink."

Xander shook his head and chuckled, "Can't. The longer I'm gone, the more damage is gonna be inflicted on their rooms. They all have hair-trigger tempers and don't like being confined. I've got enough to do without repairing drywall in six bedrooms."

Spike shrugged and held out his hand. "Your loss, mate. Have a good trip home. Was good seein' you."

Xander shook his hand. "Good to see you too, Spike. Don't be a stranger, ok? You've always got a place to stay if you need it."

Spike looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks, Xander. I'll remember that."

Angel got up out of his chair. "Let's get you to the airport." He looked at Spike. "Willow and I will be back in a while and we can figure out what's next." He walked over to the door and motioned for Dawn to follow him. She walked over and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Something's bothering him but I don't know what. That's why he's drinking so much. Keep an eye on him. A drunk Spike is a violent Spike." He stopped and furrowed his brow. "Or a sad, mopey Spike. It kind of depends on what's bugging him."

Dawn nodded and smiled. "I'll take him back upstairs, that way if he gets violent, at least he can't damage anything." She pulled Xander into a tight hug. "Call me when you get home. It was really good to see you, Xan. And thanks."

He hugged her then pulled back and smiled at her. "Thanks for what?"

"Accepting Spike. It means a lot to me, but I think it means more to him."

He hugged her to him again. "You're welcome, Dawnie. Take care of him."

She nodded. "I will. See you later." She watched them walk out then turned to look at Spike. The bottle he was drinking from was lying empty on its side and he was behind the bar, digging under the counter for another bottle. She walked over and leaned on the bar. "Whatcha doing?"

He stood up and swayed a little. "Lookin' for more Jack. Got to be more 'n two soddin' bottles in 'ere." He walked unsteadily toward the back room and she followed him. He located a shelf holding eight bottles and reached up, grabbing two with each hand, then turned and weaved his way back toward the bar.

Dawn placed her hands on his waist and steered him toward the stairs. He stopped and turned to look at her. "Where we goin', pet?"

She leaned in and kissed him. "Thought I'd take you upstairs. The club's going to be opening soon and it's going to get noisy."

He nodded. "Oh. All righ'. Lead the way, kitten."

She got him up the stairs without dropping the bottles or letting him pitch backwards down the staircase, although it was a near thing a few times. Just as they reached the top she heard the employees walking into the stage area talking and laughing. One of them shouted across the room, "Trina! You'd better get your bar cleaned up. Somebody left a mess. Not a very good way to impress the new boss."

Trina laughed, "It's just Tony! At least he's a lot nicer than Alan. I think I'm starting to like working here again. It's only been a week and I actually look forward to coming to work. I'm glad Alan finally sold the place and moved wherever. He was a dick."

Dawn chuckled as she steered Spike down the hallway toward the apartment. "Looks like the memory thing worked."

He nodded and listed sideways, bouncing off the wall. "Yeah, s' good, pet."

She laughed, "Man, that alcohol hit you fast." She opened the apartment door and pushed him through then led him to the bedroom they'd claimed. "I'd have you sit on the couch, but I'm not sure which pile it's under, so we'll just hang out in the bedroom. At least there's a TV in there."

He weaved into the bedroom and with all the care of someone who was completely shitfaced, gently set the four bottles down on the dresser. He picked up one bottle and stumbled backwards until his knees hit the bed, making him sit. Dawn walked over to him and gently took the bottle from his hand then put it back on the dresser.

He started to stand up and she put her hands in the middle of his chest, pushing him backwards onto the bed, then crawled up on it and straddled him. "What's wrong, Spike?"

He frowned up at her and waved toward the dresser. "You nicked my Jack."

She leaned down and nibbled up his neck then licked his ear. "That's not the problem. What are you upset about?"

He groaned as she stripped his shirt off and licked down his chest, biting gently on his nipple. She took it in her mouth and suckled then nipped a trail down his stomach and stopped to look up at him. He lifted his head and looked at her then dropped it back to the bed. "It's nothin', luv. Don't fret."

She crawled up to lay beside him then reached up and brushed his hair back from his face. "Remember how you said you'd tell me if something was bothering you?" He closed his eyes and nodded. "Well. Spill. What's going on?"

He took a deep shuddering breath like he was about to start yelling, but when he spoke it was a whisper. "You're the Slayer."

She nodded and laid her hand on his chest. "That's what's bugging you? It doesn't change anything between us, Spike. I still love you."

He opened his eyes and reached up with an unsteady hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. "I know you do, pet, but the Council doesn't know 'bout me, and when they find out, all hell's gonna break loose. They're gonna hound you and do their level best to get me away from you. They're not gonna tolerate their Slayer bein' with a vampire. 'Specially this one." He reached for her hand on his chest and twined their fingers together. "I just don't wanna lose you, luv. Don't think I could take it."

She laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled into his side. "You're not gonna lose me, Spike. I don't give two shits what the Council thinks. If they want my help, they're gonna have to deal with my terms. You and I are together. Period. If they can't deal, then I won't work with them. It's not like they can force me to. We'll just go freelance. Maybe move to LA and work with Angel. There's lots of things we could do. The Council gig is only one."

He slipped his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. "I love you, Dawn. Don't ever leave me."

She lifted her head and gently kissed his neck. "Don't plan to. You're stuck with me, Spike."

A knock sounded softly on the door and Spike said, "It's open, Red."

The knock sounded again and Dawn lifted her head and looked at the door while Spike said a little louder, "We're decent. It's safe to come in."

The knock sounded again and Spike growled at the door as Dawn rolled off the bed and walked toward it. She pulled it open a crack and Spike caught a whiff of who was on the other side. Suddenly completely sober, he bolted to his feet as she pulled the door open and shouted, "Dawn! No!"


	46. Chapter 46 Silent Fascination

Not Long to Wait

Ch 46 - Silent Fascination

He dropped to the ground as he saw the door open and peeked around the edge of a dumpster. Angel, Willow, and Xander were walking down the sidewalk toward a large black SUV parked next to the building. He frowned as he watched them climb in and drive away. *_Fuck. Guess I'll have to make a trip out to LA to kill that one. At least he's not hard to find. It'll be too hard to get inside that fucking law firm of his, so I'll wait. He'll have to be out by himself sometime.*_

He got to his feet and slinked down the alley, keeping close to the building, then stopped when he reached the street and peeked around the corner. The clubs weren't open yet and the street was mostly quiet; only a few people making their way down the sidewalks. He straightened up and slung his bag onto his back then stepped out from behind the building and walked purposefully across the street.

He ducked into the alley next the building and activated the tracking map as he scratched at the tape on his chest. The dot blinked on the building he was standing next to. He pushed a button and the display changed to a building schematic. The dot was moving slowly through the building and seemed to be heading towards the upstairs apartment. He watched until it stopped then shut down the display and walked around the corner of the building.

He strolled casually up to the front door and pulled it open then stepped inside and quickly surveyed the large room. There was a bar in the back corner on his right and a stage surrounded by tables on his left. He could hear people moving around in the storage room behind the bar, but the main room was currently empty. He spied the staircase directly across from him and sprinted quietly up to it, taking the stairs two at a time.

He moved quietly down the hallway and stopped in front of the apartment door then pressed his ear to it. He didn't hear anything, so he slowly turned the knob and opened the door far enough to peek in. The stench almost made him reconsider his plan. Almost. He stepped in and closed the door behind him then crept toward the room the dot had stopped in. He stood outside the door and listened. *_Awww, poor little Hostile 17. Worried that he'll lose his little slut. Think I'm gonna cry.* _He chuckled silently as he pulled a crossbow from his bag and stepped back from the door.

He raised the weapon and pointed it at the door then reached out and knocked.

X

XXXX

X

Riley squeezed the trigger as soon as the door was out of the way and watched as the bolt slammed into Dawn just beside her left breast. She stumbled back until she hit the bed then collapsed onto it, falling into the space Spike had just vacated. Spike dropped to the floor as another bolt whistled through the air and embedded deeply into the wall behind him. He launched himself over the bed with a feral roar and crashed into Riley just as he loosed another bolt. It flew straight up and buried itself into the ceiling as they smashed through the door across the hall, skidded across the dust-covered floor, and slammed up against an armoire. It rocked precariously then tipped forward and fell with a deafening crash, pinning them both to the floor.

Spike slithered out from beneath the heavy piece of furniture, scraping a large swath of skin off his back, and turned to look at Riley. All he could see was his head and right arm. He was out cold.

Spike raced back across the hall and skidded to a stop next to the bed. Dawn hadn't moved. She was lying in the middle of the bed with her eyes wide open and the bolt sticking out of her chest. He climbed carefully onto the bed and dropped to his knees beside her then pressed his ear to her chest. He raised his head and stared at her then threw it back and howled as he fisted his hands in the blanket. The howl turned to scream after scream of pure anguish and misery. He dropped his forehead to her stomach, wrapping his arms around her as sobs wracked his body. After a while he sat up and slid his hand up her arm, tangling his fingers in her hair as red-tinged tears tracked down his cheeks.

He reached up and gently closed her eyes then wrapped his hand around the bolt shaft and pulled it from her chest, letting it drop onto the bed next to her. A tiny bit of blood bubbled out of the wound and slowly tracked toward her shoulder, pooling in the small depression just under her collarbone. He straightened the emerald necklace, placing the stone gently in the hollow of her throat, then whispered, "You said you wouldn't leave me, Dawn. You're not supposed to be dead. Not yet."

He swiped his hand roughly across his face, smearing his tears and turning his face into a mask of blood, then leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to her lips. "I love you, Dawn." He rubbed his thumb gently across her cheek, leaving a red smear, then turned and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. He closed his eyes and extended his senses, focusing on the night. *_Six hours 'till sunrise, pet. Only six more hours of existing without you.*_

He heard movement from the room across the hall and a low growl rumbled through his chest. He looked up with amber eyes and snarled as Riley slowly crawled out from under the armoire.

Spike looked at Dawn once more, burning her into his memory, then pulled the blanket over her and got to his feet. He calmly collected the bottles of Jack from the dresser and walked slowly out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. He stood for a moment with his head down then took a deep breath as he straightened up and squared his shoulders.

He lined the bottles up on the floor along the wall then stepped across the hallway and leaned against the door frame to watch Riley. "I'm glad that buggerin' wardrobe didn't kill you, Soldier Boy. Means I get to. How'd you find me anyway?"

Riley climbed to his feet and sneered at Spike. "That slut witch didn't get all your trackers." He reached up and tapped the back of his head. "You've got one glued to your skull right about here. Not that it matters anymore, because I'm about to kill you." He dove forward and rolled to his feet with his crossbow aimed at Spike's chest then loosed the bolt.

Spike batted it away before it could pierce his heart and snorted, "You're scrappin', you git, not shaggin'. You're not gonna get to finish that quick." He laughed at the look of righteous indignation on Riley's face. "Oh, I know all 'bout your _sexual prowess._ Bleedin' pathetic, it is, even for a human." He spun on his heel and walked into the living room then turned to face Riley who was just stepping into the hallway.

Riley stalked into the living room with the crossbow trained on Spike and Spike growled, "Put that down, you useless twat, and fight me like a man," then he chuckled, "Oh, I forgot. You're not a real man. That's why you couldn't keep Buffy satisfied."

"Shut your mouth, you filthy piece of shit!" Riley chucked the crossbow toward the kitchen and charged across the room.

Spike smirked as Riley pounded across the room and crashed into him, throwing him into the wall. Riley pinned him there with one shoulder while his free arm swung in and landed punch after punch to Spike's gut. Spike laughed as Riley backed up and swung his fist, connecting solidly with Spike's jaw. His head snapped to the side and he spat out a mouthful of blood before he straightened up and faced Riley with an evil smirk. "Buffy was fakin' it every time. She'd wait 'til you left then get herself off 'cause you couldn't get it done."

Riley threw another punch to Spike's face then followed it quickly with a punch to the gut. Spike spat out more blood then straightened up, leaning against the wall and laughing, "You hit like a little girl. Guess that's why Buffy came to me after you buggered off. She came **to** me and **for** me. Over and over. I made 'er scream with pleasure every time."

Riley roared and lunged forward, wrapping his hand around Spike's throat and pinning him to the wall. He leaned in close and whispered, "I shouldn't have killed your little slut, Hostile 17. I should've captured you both then made you watch while I fucked her. You don't know how many times I thought about fucking her while I was buried inside Buffy." He licked his lips. "I bet she would've been so tight and good. Was she good, Spike? I bet she was. I bet the little slut gave it up to anybody." Riley let go of Spike and backed up then looked at him oddly when all Spike did was stand there shaking.

The whispered vitriol washed over Spike as a red haze seeped across his vision. In his mind's eye he saw a room with a bed and a cage. Dawn lay on the bed, silent and still as his demon paced angrily inside the cage William had built all those years ago to keep it controlled. Every few seconds it wrapped its taloned hands around the bars and gave them a brutal shake, testing their strength.

Spike trembled with rage as he stared at Dawn lying unmoving on the bed then his gaze turned to his demon and he watched in silent fascination as the cage door slowly swung open.


	47. Chapter 47 Sod Off

Not Long to Wait

Ch 47 – Sod Off

Angel and Willow walked into the club holding hands and laughing. They smiled at Tony, who waved at them from behind the bar, then headed for the stairs. Willow's arm jerked as Angel stopped dead in the middle of the club. She turned to look at him and saw his demon fighting to come forward. She leaned close and said loudly over the thumping music, "What's wrong?"

He wrestled the demon back then looked down at her and mouthed, "I smell blood. A lot of blood." He started for the stairs at a dead run, dodging clubbers and dragging Willow behind him. He scooped her up when they reached the bottom of the stairs then raced to the top with every bit of vampire speed he possessed. He slid to a halt outside the apartment door and set Willow back on her feet then pushed her behind him.

He released his demon then slowly pushed the door open and poked his head in. He glanced around the room, sniffing deeply, then let the door swing wide. Willow peeked around him and gasped as her hand flew up to cover her mouth. She whispered behind it, "Goddess! There's so much blood."

The piles of crap in the living room were covered in a fine mist of blood. The clear strip of floor that ran from the door to the hallway had chunks of what looked like raw hamburger scattered all over. There were splashes of blood dripping down the walls and small puddles scattered amongst the chunks on the floor.

Angel stepped inside and shouted for Spike and Dawn. He gingerly made his way toward the hall, trying to avoid the puddles and chunks, and stopped in front of a familiar figure slumped on the floor. Spike was covered from head to toe in blood. His bare chest had streaks of it running every which way and his hair was dripping blood onto his shoulders. His black jeans were shiny with moisture and his legs left red streaks on the wood floor every time he moved. Willow tiptoed daintily through the mess and stopped next to Angel then whispered, "What happened in here?"

Angel turned to look at her then grabbed her arm and jerked her sideways. She yelped and looked up at him with a question in her eyes. He pointed up. She followed his finger and started gagging as a chunk of something dropped from the ceiling and landed at her feet with a wet plop.

Spike lifted a bottle to his mouth and drank what was left in it then looked up at the two people staring down at him. "Sod off." He pitched the empty bottle down the hallway and Willow jumped as it exploded against the wall. He picked up a fresh bottle and twisted off the lid then took a long drink.

Angel squatted down next to him and asked quietly, "Where's Dawn?"

Spike raised an unsteady arm and rapped his knuckles against the door he was leaning on. "Dead. Soldier Boy killed 'er. It was too fast, couldn't save 'er. Couldn't even turn 'er."

Willow squeaked, "Riley? He found you?"

Spike turned his head and pointed to a large bloody hole in his scalp. Willow could see the white bone of his skull peeking through the bloody hair. "Had 'nother soddin' tracker, but I tore the bitch out."

She swallowed hard and croaked out, "Where is he?"

Spike waved around at the blood-soaked apartment. "Part of 'im over there, some over there, and a bit up there."

Willow looked where he pointed and saw what looked like an arm. There was a piece of bloody cloth covering part of it. She toed the cloth aside then gagged and turned away, clutching Angel's shirt and whispering into his chest. "It's his arm." She turned to Spike. "Was he alive when you did that to him?"

Spike looked up at her blearily and blinked. "Probably. Does it matter?"

"Why, Spike?"

Spike looked at the floor as a sob was wrenched from his body. "She's gone, Red. I loved 'er and she's gone. Everyone I love dies and I can't bloody take anymore. I'm done, Red. Done." He turned away from them and clutched the bottle to his chest. "Now leave me be. I've four hours and two bottles to kill 'fore I take a walk in the sunshine, so bugger off." He brought the bottle to his lips and took another long drink then slumped against the wall.

Willow started to go to him and Angel stopped her with a hand on her arm. She looked at him and he shook his head then nodded toward the bedroom door. She looked at Spike then nodded and he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Willow walked past him to the bed and pulled the blanket back to look down at Dawn. She reached out and gently touched her cheek as tears started tracking down her face.

Angel looked down at Spike, who was passed out on the floor still clutching the bottle, then closed the door and walked over to stand next to Willow. "She's not dead."

Willow goggled at him then looked back at Dawn. "She's not?"

Angel wrapped his arms around Willow and whispered into her hair. "No. I can still feel her. Spike could too if he wasn't so drunk."

Willow crawled up on the bed next to Dawn and the bloody bolt rolled toward her and bumped against her knee. She picked it up and looked at it then looked at the wound in Dawn's chest. "Riley shot her. The bolt hit her in the heart."

Angel walked around the bed and looked down at the wound. "It's healing. Look at it, it's almost closed over." He knelt on the bed then leaned over and placed his ear to her chest. "She's breathing and her heart is beating. It's faint, but it's there."

Willow looked over at the door. "Why does he think she's dead?"

Angel looked at the door then at Willow. "Probably because she was, for a few minutes anyway. He was probably with her right after she was shot and left her here before her healing kicked in, so he doesn't know she's alive."

"How could she heal from a direct shot to the heart, Angel? I know she's the Slayer, but slayers are killed all the time. They're not immortal."

Angel gently brushed Dawn's hair back from her forehead. "I think Dawn is immortal, but it doesn't come from the Slayer part of her. I think it's the energy that makes her the Key."

Willow looked down at Dawn and whispered, "She's been immortal this whole time?"

Angel nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

Willow looked at the door again. "We should tell Spike before he dusts himself. I think he's serious about taking a walk in the sun."

Angel nodded. "He is, the stubborn son of a bitch, but he's in no condition to hear anything we say. He's passed out." He looked over at the door. "We'll clean him up and get him in here then wait for him to wake up."


	48. Chapter 48 Twinkie

Not Long to Wait

Ch 48 – Twinkie

Spike opened his eyes slowly then sat up and groaned as he clutched his head. His fingers skated across a bandage wrapped around his skull and he closed his eyes and muttered, "Bloody hell. What've I done to myself now?"

He gingerly prodded around the bandage until his fingers hit on a sore spot at the back of his head. He pressed it a little harder and the memories slammed into his aching brain. "Dawn." Her name came out as a soft sob. He looked blearily at the bed and saw that her body had been removed then looked over at the window and saw a faint sliver of sunlight peeking through. He turned his head slowly and looked at the door. *_Peaches and Red'll probably try to stop me and I don't much fancy a scrap, so I guess I'll just throw myself out the soddin' window.*_

He looked down at himself as he turned to sit on the edge of the bed. He was shirtless and something was stuck to his back. He reached behind him and felt a large bandage covering most of his back. He was wearing the same jeans, but the blood and gore had been cleaned off them. His foot brushed against something on the floor and he looked down and saw his new Docs, completely blood free, lined up neatly beside the bed. *_Red. She cleaned me up and bandaged me. Why? Don't need to be clean to dust myself. Chit probably doesn't think I'm serious. They think I'll just get over it. Get over her. Not this time.*_

He slid off the bed and stepped into his Docs then walked slowly toward the window, spying his duster draped over the chair in front of it. *_One last fag then I'm off.*_ He dug in the pockets until he came up with a crumpled pack then fished out a slightly bent smoke and placed it between his lips. He pulled a lighter from his jeans and lit up then dropped down in the chair and leaned back as the smoke curled around his head.

Images of Dawn played through his mind as he smoked. Her laugh, her smile, the way her hair cascades down her back when she's walking and how it fans out around her head when she sleeps. Her strength and her kindness. He remembered the first time she'd told him she loved him, on the sidewalk outside the very building he was sitting in. He chuckled bitterly. *_I'll explode into dust not ten feet from that very spot. Fittin', I suppose.* _A shiver went up his spine and he shuddered. *_God, I can still feel 'er.*_

He stubbed his smoke out on the sole of his boot then got to his feet and faced the window. He reached out to rip the curtains down and his hand bumped up against an invisible barrier. He tilted his head and lifted his other hand then laid them flat against it and pushed. *_Red's warded the bleedin' window!* _He furiously punched the barrier until his hands were bloody then turned angrily away from the window and stomped across the room. *_Sneaky little witch!*_

He yanked the door open and stomped down the hallway, shouting, "Wardin' the soddin' window isn't gonna keep me from dustin' myself, Red! I told you lot I was done! I'm not gonna keep goin' without 'er. I'm leavin' and you sods better not try to st..."

He stopped dead and gaped as he saw a familiar form rise from a couch and walk toward him. "It's about time you woke up, Spike. I was starting to wonder if you were gonna sleep the whole day." She stopped in front of him and gently closed his mouth then placed a soft kiss to his lips.

He backed up and raised his hand, slapping himself hard across the face and then he groaned and clutched his head. "Ok, I'm not dreamin'." He stepped close and wrapped her in his arms then buried his face in her hair and sniffed deeply. "You're really here. You're alive." He pulled back and quickly opened the top few buttons of her shirt then pushed the material aside. He ran his fingers lightly over the spot where there had been a large bloody hole in her chest. Her skin was whole and smooth. He placed his ear to her chest and smiled as he heard a strong heartbeat then looked back up at her. "You were dead."

She buttoned her shirt then smiled and took his hand to lead him over to the couch. He stared at her the whole way then blinked around the room as he sat down. "What happened in here? This's the same flat I passed out in, innit?" Dawn sat down next to him and he pulled her close.

Willow giggled, "Yeah. I cleaned up the mess and Angel had some furniture sent over. Tony's still sleeping and hasn't seen it yet, but do you think he'll like it?"

Spike looked at her. "I'm sure he'll love it." He turned to Dawn. "You were dead. I'm sure of it. So explain to me how you're sittin' here now not dead."

She smiled at him. "Apparently, I can't die… well… I can, but I don't stay dead. Like Captain Jack."

He sputtered, "'Scuse me, Captain who?"

She laughed, "No, it's Doctor Who, not Captain Who." Spike just blinked at her. "Sorry. I'm talking about Captain Jack Harkness, from Doctor Who. Remember I told you I watched a lot of that show?" He nodded faintly. "Well there's a character named Captain Jack that's immortal. He can die, but he always comes back to life. The Doctor calls him a fixed point in time."

The look on Spike's face made Willow laugh, "Yes, Spike. She's been infected by Xander."

Spike leaned forward and clutched his head. "I'm hung over and my bleedin' head is killin' me, but let's see if I've got this sorted. You can die but you don't stay dead like some bloke on telly. Is he a Slayer or the Key?"

Dawn shook her head and chuckled, "No. He became immortal because Rose looked into the heart of the TARDIS and brought him back to life after the Daleks killed him."

Spike lifted his head out of his hands and looked up at her like she was speaking Klingon. "Right then. I need a drink." He stood and walked back toward the bedroom then bent down to pick up the last fresh bottle. He turned back to the living room as he twisted the lid off and brought it to his lips. He had a quarter of the bottle gone before he got back to the couch.

He dropped down beside Dawn and she reached over and gently took the bottle from him then put it on the table at the end of the couch. He started to reach for it and she turned him and pulled him close so that he was sitting with his back to her chest as she leaned on the arm of the couch. She wrapped her legs over his and laid her arms across his chest. "I know this is weird, Spike, but you being plowed isn't going to help. I'm here. I'm real."

He laid his head back on her shoulder and closed his eyes. "I know, luv. Can feel your heartbeat. I'm jus' preparin' myself."

"For what?"

"For what happened the last time someone I loved died and came back. She changed. Became the complete opposite of what she was before. I'm just gettin' ready for a new round of _Kick the Spike_."

Dawn squeezed him tight and nibbled gently on his ear. "I'm not gonna change, Spike. I'm not Buffy. I wasn't pulled out of heaven. I won't ever go there because I'm not human. I'm energy. Angel says that's why I can't die. I'm exactly the same person I was before. The one who loves you."

He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. "You sure? You're not gonna change your mind in a few months and decide I'm no good for you and that bein' with me is killin' you?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Like I said before; you're stuck with me, Spike. Apparently forever."

He brought his arms up over hers and twined their fingers together. "Good. Forever's good."

She squeezed him. "So… about Riley."

Spike closed his eyes. "That wasn't me, pet. Was the demon. William let it out."

"William?"

He nodded. "Yeah, William." He took a deep breath. "All right, let me try to explain. When I was first turned, I spent months doin' nothin' but killin' and torturin'. I killed people in the most painful and bloody ways I could think of. I reveled in it, loved the power and the freedom. I could do anythin' I wanted, take anythin' I wanted. I didn't have to abide by any rules save two; stay out of the sun and away from pointy wood. But I was never satisfied. The blood lust was always there. No matter how many people I killed or tortured, it was never enough."

Angel nodded. "I remember that. He was the most violent and sadistic vampire I'd ever seen. He'd rip people apart just for being in his way or saying something he didn't like. One man made the mistake of putting his hand on Drusilla and Spike tore him into thirty-six different pieces. I counted. I was extremely proud of him at the time, but even Angelus had nothing on him those first few months."

Spike sat up and turned to face Dawn. "William may have been a pathetic tosser in a lot of ways, but he's got a spine of bloody steel. One night, after I'd torn through a boardin' house and murdered every sod in the place, I was pissed on blood and pain. I nodded off and William jumped in and took over while my guard was down. He built a cage and stuffed the demon into it and locked it up."

Dawn looked at him, confused. "I don't get it. Your demon is locked up? I've seen your demon hundreds of times."

Spike smiled. "You've seen just a small part of it, pet. I'm able to call on the demon when I need it, but it's never fully in control. Not anymore. After William locked it away I stopped killin' just for the fun of it. I'd kill to feed or in a fight, but I didn't feel the urge to cause pain just because I could. I'm not sayin' I turned into a boy scout, helpin' old biddies cross the street and whatnot, I still killed, I still tortured, and I still did a lot of other evil things, but I wasn't completely at the mercy of the demon. It influenced a lot of my decisions, actually most of 'em the first seventy years or so, but it wasn't runnin' the show and William's managed to take over more and more as I've gotten older."

"Why did he let it out?"

"'Cause you were dead and the fucker that killed you wasn't. I've lost everyone I've ever loved and your death was the final straw. William wanted vengeance. He wanted blood and pain."

"So it wasn't you?"

Spike shook his head. "No. It was this body and these hands, but the demon was drivin'. I don't really remember much of it, just a lot of screamin'. When the blood lust wore off, I was sittin' in the middle of the floor and there were bits of 'im all over and everythin' was covered in blood. Includin' me. I crawled over to the bedroom door, opened a bottle and proceeded to get pissed while I was waitin' on the sunrise."

Dawn took his hands in hers. "You were really gonna dust yourself? Just walk out into the sunshine?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I've no reason to keep goin' if you're gone."

She grinned at him. "Well, I'm never gonna be gone. I'm a Twinkie. I'll be here forever."


	49. Chapter 49 Spoiling You

Not Long to Wait

Ch 49 – Spoiling You

"That's my phone." Willow sat up and looked around the apartment, trying to place where the noise was coming from. She got up and followed the sound and found it on the kitchen counter under a pizza box. She slid it open, "Hello?"

"Xander, slow down! What's wrong?"

"Dawn's fine. She's sitting right here. Wait, how did you know she died?"

"Regina? Your potential? She's been Called?"

"Yeah, Dawn did die, but she came back. Angel says it's because she's the Key. She's immortal."

"Riley shot her in the heart with a crossbow."

"Yeah. Spike killed him. A lot."

"I'll give her the phone if you don't believe me."

"Ok, Xan. Go sit down or something before you have a heart attack."

"Bye, Xan."

She slid the phone closed and dropped down on the couch, snuggling into Angel's side. "We have two Slayers again. Xander says one of his potentials was Called about half an hour ago. He freaked because I hadn't called to tell him you died."

Dawn stood up and dug her phone out of her pocket. "You think I should call Giles?"

Willow shook her head. "Xander's on the phone with him now."

Dawn sat back down and leaned against Spike as she looked at Willow. "That could be a fun conversation."

Spike chuckled, "Yeah, bet ole Rupes is tryin' to polish a hole in his glasses right about now and tellin' Harris to stop callin' him G-man." He grimaced a little as he reached up and gingerly touched the back of his head.

Dawn turned and looked at Spike. "How's your head?"

"Still a bit sore, pet."

She smiled. "From the Jack or from tearing that tracker out?"

He grinned. "Both."

She reached up to caress his cheek. "Do you need some blood? Angel and Willow said you lost a lot."

He took her hand in his. "I could probably use some, pet, but I'll be all right."

Angel shook his head "You look like shit, Spike. You're pale, even for you. You need blood."

Spike chuckled, "I'll be fine, Dad."

Dawn stood and pulled Spike up with her. "Let's get you fed." She led him to the bedroom and pushed him through the door then stepped in after him and closed it behind her.

"Pet, I…"

She pulled him to her and gently tangled her fingers in the hair not covered by the bandage. "Feed, Spike. Please. I hate to see you in pain."

He looked at her for a moment then leaned in and nibbled up her neck, "Ok, pet." His fangs descended slowly as he kissed along her jaw. He sank them into her neck as his hand slipped up her leg dragging her skirt along with it. She lifted her bare leg and wrapped it around his hip as his fingers slid into her. She moaned and slipped her hands under his shirt then pulled him tight against her as his fingers worked faster. He popped the buttons of his jeans and slid into her, thrusting deep as he pulled blood from her neck.

"Oh God, Spike!" She lifted her other leg and wrapped it around his waist, locking her ankles together as he pounded into her. She threw her head back against the door, grunting with each thrust as the feelings from his bite built. He pulled hard at her neck as he drove deep into her and she clenched around him and screamed. He thrust deep then released her neck and threw his head back, roaring at the ceiling as he spent deep inside her.

She pulled him close and kissed the ridges on his forehead as his demon receded. "Thank you, Spike."

He smiled. "No, thank you, luv. Can't remember when I've enjoyed a meal more."

"Did you get enough?"

He nodded. "Yeah, pet. I'm good."

She pulled him close with her legs and grinned. "Yeah. You are."

X

XXXX

X

Dawn's phone rang as she handed Spike another slice of pizza. He smiled up at her and took a bite as she dug her phone out of her pocket and flipped it open, "Hello?"

"Oh sure, Giles, hold on." She pushed a button on the phone then set it on the table. "Ok, we can all hear you now."

"Thank you, Dawn. I've just heard from Xander that one of his potentials was Called because you were killed by Agent Finn."

Dawn laughed, "Ok, if that isn't the weirdest sentence I've ever heard. Yeah. He shot me with a crossbow. Um, Giles? You don't seem all that surprised that I died and came back."

"Yes, well, I've suspected something of the sort for some time, so I had a few of our researchers look into it. There's not a lot written about The Key, but everything we've found suggests that the energy you were made from is ancient. It has been in existence since before recorded time. Whatever form the energy takes is, for want of a better term, immortal, until the energy is transferred to another form."

Spike leaned forward to get closer to the phone. "How is the energy transferred?"

"The only transfer that's been written of is when the monks made her into her current form. Being that they've all been killed, I don't think there's any way to facilitate a transfer."

Spike sat back and wrapped his arm over Dawn's shoulders. "Good. I love her just the way she is."

"Yes. Quite. The main objective of this call is to ascertain if Dawn would still be willing to work for the Council, being that we have another available Slayer."

Dawn nodded then blushed a little when she realized that Giles couldn't see her. "Um... sure, but I have one condition."

"Which is?"

"Spike comes with me."

"Why yes, I'd assumed as much."

"And the Council is ok with that?"

"There was discussion on the matter, some of it quite heated, but the general consensus is yes."

"They know he's not chipped anymore?"

"Yes, I have informed the Council that his chip has been removed and as long as he refrains from feeding on the populace, they will not object."

"Don't worry, Giles. The only person he feeds from is me."

"Yes, well, I suppose that's your decision."

"Yeah, it is. Have you decided where I'm needed yet?"

"No, but discussions are continuing. I will notify you as soon as a decision is made. I also wanted to let you know that you will be receiving a generous stipend, and the Council will continue to pay for your living quarters."

"Thanks, Giles. That's great. How long do you think it'll be before they figure it out?"

"I don't know. Did you have something you wanted to do?"

She smiled at Spike and reached over to squeeze his thigh. "Yeah, thought Spike and I might take a little vacation, like a road trip or something. It's been a rough couple of weeks."

X

XXXX

X

A large, black car sped down a dark, deserted highway. It drifted across the oncoming lane and the tires rolled noisily over the rumble strips then it jerked back across the road, swerved onto the shoulder, and skidded to a stop in a roiling cloud of dust.

Spike turned off the car and leaned as far back in the driver's seat as he could while Dawn's head bobbed in his lap. "Oh God, pet, yeah."

She sucked him in deep then raised her head and looked out the window. "Why'd you stop?"

He grinned. "Was havin' a bit of trouble concentratin' on the road, pet. Didn't want to kill us."

She looked at him and they both burst into laughter then Dawn grinned at him. "There's no way crashing a car is gonna kill Twinkie and The Vamp."

He tilted his head and grinned at her as his scarred eyebrow went up. "Twinkie and The Vamp?"

She smiled. "Yeah. If we had our own show, that would be the title. We'd be rogue demon hunters who travel the country and get into lots of sticky situations."

Spike pulled her into a kiss. "Thought about this a lot, have you?"

She shook her head. "No, not really, Xander and I were just talking about it on the phone after I told him I was a Twinkie. They're his favorite food."

Spike chuckled, "I really need to keep you away from Harris."

She kissed up his jaw as her hand slowly stroked. "Well, since we're stopped, I think you're wearing too many clothes." She grasped his shirt and pulled it over his head then scooted across the seat and opened the door. He watched her climb out of the car and walk around to the driver's side. She slipped her skirt up her legs then sat on the hood and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, letting it slip down her arms. She rubbed her hands over her breasts, flicking the nipples, then looked over at Spike. "Coming?"

He quickly climbed out of the car then moved between her legs and grasped her hips, sliding slowly into her heat as he whispered, "Not yet, luv." She wrapped her legs around his waist and planted her hands on the car, arching her back as he slowly drove into her. He dipped his head and took a nipple in his mouth, biting gently as she moaned loudly into the night.

She lay back on the hood and pulled him deeper with her legs. "Harder, Spike." He tightened his grip on her hips and started pounding into her until she arched up off the car, screaming his name. She clenched around him and he thrust deep then threw his head back and roared, the echoes bouncing back across the vast expanse of desert.

She pulled him down onto her and tangled her hands through his hair as she kissed him deeply. "I love you, Spike."

He propped himself up on his elbows as he placed gentle kisses to her cheeks, nose, and chin. "Love you too, pet." She shivered a little and he lifted himself off her then pulled her up and picked up her shirt, draping it around her shoulders. "You're cold, pet. We should get you back in the car."

She wrapped her arms around him. "I forgot how cold it gets in the desert at night."

He chuckled, "And I've no body heat to warm you." He pulled her off the hood and opened the driver's door. She scooted in and slipped her arms into the sleeves then buttoned up her shirt. He slid in beside her and started the car then reached over and turned the heat up all the way.

She reached up and smacked her forehead. "I forgot it!"

He tilted his head at her and smiled. "Forgot what, pet?"

"I bought you an electric blanket because I know you don't like to be cold, but I went and left it on the bed when we packed everything up. You didn't even get the chance to use it."

He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close as he steered the car back onto the highway. "That's ok, luv."

She laid her hand on his thigh and started rubbing small circles. "I'll get you another one when we get to wherever the Council decides to send us."

"You're gonna spoil me, kitten."

She leaned up and kissed his neck. "I like spoiling you." She looked out at the highway as they speed along in the dark. "How much further to the next town?"

He shrugged. "Not sure, luv. Why?"

"Well, one of us actually has to pee once in a while, and I want to get a room before the sun comes up. And I'm hungry."

He laughed, "We don't need to get a room, pet. With the tempered windows, I can be in the car durin' the day."

She looked at him with a small grin as she dragged her nails over the front of his jeans. "Yeah, I guess you could, although I'm gonna get kinda lonely all stretched out naked in a nice big bed while my Big Bad is sitting out in the car."

He stepped on the gas. "Yeah, we'll get a room."


	50. Chapter 50 Harley

Not Long to Wait

Ch 50 – Harley

They pulled up to the deserted gas pumps and Spike turned the car off then gently traced his fingers across Dawn's cheek. "Pet, wake up." She mumbled and tried to bury her head further into his leg. "Luv, we need petrol or we're not goin' much further." He looked out the window at the various signs glowing against the night sky. "Looks like there's a small diner over there with a hotel behind it. We can hole up here for the day."

She sat up, rubbing her eyes, and looked out the window at the quiet, empty parking lot. All she saw were the half a dozen gas pumps and a small kiosk that was currently empty. "Where's the hotel?"

He pointed. "It's over there, on the other side of the road. Not large or posh, but it'll do, I expect. Might have to wake somebody up to get a room, though, this place looks deader than me."

She smiled at him then leaned in and nibbled on his neck. "As long as it's got a bed, it'll be fine. I'll go get us a room and meet you at the diner."

"Sure, luv." He snagged his duster from the back seat then climbed out of the car and stretched. He shrugged into the duster, adjusting it so it hung properly.

She grabbed her duster from the back seat then climbed out behind him. He took it from her and helped her into it then pulled her close and started nibbling at her neck. "You hungry, Spike? It's been a while since you fed."

He murmured against her neck, "Yeah, I'm hungry, but not for blood." He turned her and pressed her against the car, grinding against her as she slipped her hands under his shirt and scratched her nails down his back. He growled and slipped his hand down her leg then lifted her skirt and trailed his fingers across her core. She gasped and dug her nails into his back as he thrust his fingers deep.

She laid her head back on the roof of the car as he pumped his fingers and worked his thumb. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist, thrusting herself against his hand. She slipped one hand down and gripped him hard then popped the buttons of his jeans and pulled him out. He slipped his hand out and brought his fingers to his mouth as she guided him to her opening. He moaned low in his throat and braced his hands on the roof of the car as he thrust into her.

She tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him into a kiss as he thrust deeper. He nipped down her neck and released his demon as she pulled him close with her legs. He sank his fangs deep as she started quivering then clenched around him and screamed into his leather covered shoulder. He thrust hard and deep, roaring against her neck as he released deep inside her.

Neither one noticed the truck creeping quietly past the kiosk and rolling to a stop three pumps over.

He collapsed against her as he panted against her neck. "God, kitten, you're amazin'. Always ready for me, no matter when or where. Love you so much."

"I love you too, Spike." She tightened her grip on him with her legs and pulled his fangs back to the healing bite on her neck. "Feed."

He slid his fangs into her neck and started pulling mouthfuls of blood. The warmth rushed through her and she moaned as a loud, angry voice interrupted from the front of the DeSoto, "Hey! What are you doing to that girl?"

Spike raised his head and looked over at the speaker in full game face with blood dripping off his fangs. "Nothin' she didn't ask me to, so sod off."

Dawn turned her head to look at who had spoken as she pulled Spike to the other side of her neck. He sank his fangs in and continued feeding and she closed her eyes as the feelings washed over her. She heard someone move and opened her eyes, trying to focus. Spike thrust into her and her eyes fell shut again. Someone took a step toward them and she raised one hand and said, "Stop." Spike started to raise his head and she moved her other hand to the back of his neck, squeezing gently. She opened her eyes and looked toward the front of the car. There were four large men in baseball caps standing there, wearing jeans and flannel shirts with the sleeves torn off. *_Rednecks. Great.*_

The one in front took another step and she waggled her finger at him. "I said stop." It came out as a moan because Spike was thrusting into her slowly as he fed.

The man looked at her questioningly and took another step as he urged his friends forward with a wave of his hand. "That's a vampire, lady. He's gonna kill you."

Dawn laughed and Spike chuckled against her neck. "Yeah, I kinda had that figured out; the fangs pretty much gave it away. And he's not gonna kill me. Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine. Really."

Spike pulled one more mouthful then slid his fangs out and licked the bite closed. He looked over at the men, still fully vamped, and grinned. "She's not just fine, she's gorgeous." He licked his fangs then smacked his lips. "And delicious."

One of the men in the back pulled a knife from a sheath at his waist and took a step forward. Spike growled low in his chest as he slid out of Dawn and set her back on her feet then stepped back, making sure to pull her duster around her. He faced the men as he tucked himself away and slowly buttoned his jeans. "You might wanna rethink that, mate."

The men's eyes all focused on Spike as he did up his jeans. They stared at the large bulge behind the buttons and Dawn smirked at the looks of envy. *_Geez, jealous much?*_

Dawn straightened her skirt then stepped close to Spike and lifted his arm over her shoulders. She slipped one arm inside his duster and settled it on his waist then trailed her other hand down his chest and across his stomach. She hooked her thumb in the waistband of his jeans and scratched her fingernails slowly over the bulge. Spike moaned low in his throat as she looked at the men. "I told you I'm fine. Now please go before you piss him off."

The man with the knife sneered at Spike. "Can't do that, miss. He's got you in thrall. You don't know what you're saying."

Dawn looked at Spike and he grinned at her then looked over at the men. "Thrall? You have got to be kiddin' me. M' not Dracula, ya bleedin' git. Don't have a thrall. Now sod off. I've other things to do."

The closest man darted forward and grabbed Dawn's arm, jerking her away from Spike. He threw her behind him then started advancing toward the snarling vampire. Spike growled, "Take your fuckin' mitts off my girl."

Dawn laughed as two of the men took her arms and pulled her toward their truck. "Now he's pissed. Hope you have some good health insurance, you're gonna need it. Well… you know… if he doesn't kill you."

They lifted her up into the cab and shut the door as one said, "Stay here while we handle this."

Dawn leaned back against the seat and chuckled, "Yeah, you go right ahead and do that." She rolled down the window then leaned her arm on the door, watching Spike back away from the men until he was in the large open area directly in front of the truck. He smiled over at her and she waved then pulled out a smoke and lit it. *_Might as well sit back and enjoy the show.*_

The men followed Spike and circled around him as his game face receded. All of the men were taller than Spike by at least three inches and the smallest one probably had a good fifty pounds on him. The largest was wearing a red flannel shirt and waving a large hunting knife. The one with the John Deere cap was holding a small pocket knife, and the one in the tan shirt had a switchblade. The smallest one turned his Harley cap around backwards as he flipped open a Buck knife.

Spike was wearing a smirk as he turned and watched them. Red shirt darted forward and made a clumsy stabbing motion that Spike easily dodged. He snarled, "You gits do realize it's almost impossible to kill a vamp with a knife, right?"

John Deere pulled a crude stake from his boot and held it up. "Don't worry. Got wood right here."

Spike barked laughter, "That's not wood," then gripped himself through his jeans. "This is wood." All their eyes followed his hand down to his crotch so they didn't notice the other one piston out and plow into the side of Tan shirt's face. He dropped like a stone. Red shirt darted forward and wrapped his arms around Spike from behind, lifting him off his feet. Spike used the momentum to raise his legs and push against Harley, who went flying across the parking lot and crashed into the front of the truck. Spike flipped over and landed gracefully behind Red shirt then dropped to a crouch and swept his leg out. Red shirt crashed onto his back with a loud thud then lay there sucking wind and clutching at his chest before he passed out.

Spike backed away from the two prone men then looked over at Dawn. She smiled at him. "Two down, two to go."

He grinned. "You want in on this, pet? I could save one for you."

She shook her head. "Nah. I love watching you fight. Gets me hot."

He leered at her and licked his lips as he avoided a lunge by John Deere. Harley was circling around behind Spike as John Deere kept lunging and backing off. He lunged forward again, leading with his blade as Harley stepped close to Spike's back. Spike grabbed John Deere's right arm with his left hand and threw his right elbow back into Harley's nose at the same time. Harley stumbled back, clutching his broken nose as blood poured down his face.

John Deere lifted the stake in his left hand and plunged it toward Spike's chest, but his own arm was in the way. He buried the stake in his forearm and screamed as Spike pushed him back. He stumbled and fell backwards over Red shirt then sat there, clutching his arm. Spike stepped forward and jerked the stake from his arm then chucked it into the bushes on the far side of the parking lot. "You lot are pathetic. Don't think I've ever faced vampire hunters that ended up stakin' themselves." His fist flew out and slammed into John Deere's jaw and he jerked to the side then slumped to the ground.

Dawn lit another smoke and climbed out of the truck. She walked over to Spike then took the new smoke from her mouth and placed it between his lips. "That was entertaining."

Spike laughed as the smoke curled around his head. He took a deep drag then looked around at the men as he blew smoke out his nose. "You'd think with four opponents the fight would've lasted longer."

Dawn stepped close and nibbled on Spike's ear as she rubbed him through his jeans. "Even though it was over quick, it still got me hot. I want you now, Spike."

He took her hand and started leading her back over to the DeSoto then suddenly jerked and shouted, "Bloody Hell!" He spun to face Harley and Dawn saw a Buck knife sticking out of the middle of his back right next to his spine.

Spike flicked his cigarette away and was standing in front of Harley, snarling and staring him down with amber eyes before Harley had even lowered his arm from the throw.

Harley threw his hands up and stammered, "Sorry! Sorry! Please don't kill me!"


	51. Chapter 51 Normal Day

Not Long to Wait

Ch 51 – Normal Day

Spike tangled his hands in Harley's shirt then dragged him toward his fangs and sank them deep as Harley screamed. He pulled a few mouthfuls then released him, not bothering to close the bite. "I've just fed and I'm full up, lucky for you." Spike pushed him back as blood dripped from the wound on Harley's neck. "Now, I'm gonna fill my car and then we're gonna get a room in that hotel over there. If I see you or any of your mates again, I'll finish what I started. Got it?" Harley nodded vigorously enough to crack his neck. "Good. Now sod off."

Harley clapped his hand to his bleeding neck and backed up. "Right. Um… Thanks." He scurried to the truck and climbed in then dug around in a box on the floorboards, coming up with a bandage. He taped it to his neck then used his shirt to wipe the blood from his face as he watched Spike walk back over to Dawn.

Spike took her hand and led her over to the DeSoto then opened the trunk and turned around. "Could you pull that out for me, pet?" He hissed as Dawn gently worked the knife out and she winced at the sound of the blade scraping on bone. Once the blade was clear, he slid his duster off and tossed it into the trunk, frowning at yet another hole in the leather, then stripped his shirt off and handed it to Dawn. She pressed part of it to the wound and used the rest to try to wipe up some of the blood dripping down his back as he braced his hands against the edge of the trunk.

"You've got a broken rib. The knife missed your spine by less than an inch."

He hissed again as she pressed harder to stop the bleeding. "Yeah, pet. I know. Looks like you'll have to wait for a bit. Don't think I'm up for any fun right now."

She reached around and rubbed her hand over the bulge in his jeans. "Oh, you're up, but I don't want to hurt you, so I'll let you heal before I ravage you."

He chuckled, "Ta, luv," then leaned down and shifted one of the bags over, hissing as his broken rib moved. "Did we pack a first aid kit?"

Dawn shook her head. "Nope. I used up most of what I had after we got you back from The Ranch. I was gonna restock it, but never got around to it. We'll have to stop somewhere and pick one up."

Dawn heard the truck door slam shut and looked over to see Harley walking away from the truck carrying a first aid kit. *_Looks like Harley's gonna fix up his friends.* _She turned back to Spike and lifted the shirt, frowning as more blood oozed out of the wound. She pressed the shirt back down and Spike flinched. "Sorry. You haven't stopped bleeding yet."

They heard a scraping noise and both their heads snapped around to see Harley walking tentatively toward them. He shyly held out the first aid kit. "Um… sir? Um… I don't mean to bother you, and please don't kill me, but it looks like you could use this."

Dawn and Spike both tilted their heads as they looked at him then Dawn reached out and took the kit. "Uh… thanks… but why?"

Harley shrugged and looked at the ground. "Because he could've killed us, but he didn't. I checked everybody. They're all gonna be sore and probably have pretty bad headaches when they wake up, and Bill's arm is probably broke, but they're all breathing." He looked up as he held his hand out to Spike. "Never seen a vampire leave anybody alive before."

Spike reached out and shook his hand as Dawn said, "He's not your typical vampire."

Dawn set the kit down on the weapons chest then grabbed Harley's hand and had him hold the shirt to Spike's back while she opened the kit. "What's your name?"

"Trevor. And yours?"

"I'm Dawn and this is Spike."

Trevor's eyes got huge and the hand holding the shirt to Spike's back jerked a little. "You're the Slayer!" Dawn nodded with a surprised look as Trevor's gaze turned to Spike and he whispered almost reverently, "And you're William the Bloody, Childe of Drusilla the Mad!"

Spike's head whipped around and he winced as he asked, "You know 'bout us? How?"

Trevor was staring at Spike with a look of utter wonder then he blinked and muttered, "Oh… um… my uncle is a member of the Watcher's Council."

Spike's brow furrowed as he tilted his head. "Didn't think the soddin' Council was that open about their business."

Trevor shrugged. "Usually they're not, but my uncle wants me to come work for them so he keeps me in the loop. I spent all last summer at Council headquarters reading Watcher diaries and all kinds of books about demons and vampires."

Spike snorted, "And yet, you and your mates were fightin' a vamp with knives?"

Trevor blushed. "Yeah… um… I have a full kit, but I left it in my truck. We were just making a beer run and didn't expect to run into any vampires; there aren't many around here. And we took a fledge down with knives once; Bobby used that huge knife of his to cut off his head. Of course it took all four of us to hold him down, but we've never faced a vampire as old as you. The guys are gonna completely shit when I tell them who you are. Wow. This is just… wow. I can't believe I actually got to meet William the Bloody and I'm still alive to tell about it!" His free hand went to the bandage on his neck. "I was even bitten by William the Bloody! And I'm not dead!"

Dawn leaned close to Spike and whispered in his ear, "Looks like you have a fan."

Spike chuckled, "Yeah." He looked over his shoulder at Trevor. "It's not that big a deal, mate. Really. I've met loads of people that I haven't killed."

Trevor's mouth fell open, "Not that big a deal? Are you crazy? You're one of the most famous vampires in history! You've killed two Slayers! You helped save the world from a Hell God! I mean, how many vampires have actually helped save the world?"

Spike smirked. "Just two that I know of. Me an' Peaches."

Trevor looked confused. "Peaches? I don't remember reading about any vampires named _Peaches._"

Spike chuckled, "I'm talkin' 'bout my Grandsire, Angel."

"Oh! Angelus! Yeah, I've read about him. I thought you two hated each other. That's what all the books say."

Spike nodded. "We did, but we've recently come to an understandin'. Don't get me wrong, he's still a ponce, probably always will be, but we're not at each other's throats anymore. 'Sides, he's family." He winked at Trevor. "And he hates to be called Angelus. I'm 'bout the only one that can get away with callin' him that. Drives him right 'round the bend, it does." Spike chuckled, "S'why I do it. Just remember that if you ever meet him."

Trevor nodded. "Sure, thanks for the tip."

Dawn pulled a thick gauze pad and a roll of tape out of the first aid kit. "Thanks for the bandages and stuff. We weren't expecting to run into a fight, so we don't have any with us." She lifted Trevor's hand and the bloody shirt away from Spike's back and carefully wiped away the blood then looked over the knife wound and nodded. It was starting to close, although a little bit of blood was still leaking out. She pressed the gauze pad down over the wound and criss-crossed several pieces of tape over it to hold it in place.

Trevor frowned at the bloody shirt in his hand then tossed it into a nearby trash can. "Sorry for throwing my knife at you."

Spike shrugged. "No worries, mate. I'll heal."

Dawn pressed lightly on his rib and he winced. "Do you want me to wrap your ribs?"

Spike shook his head. "Nah, I think it'll be all right, pet."

Dawn opened one of the duffels and dug out a clean shirt for Spike. He pulled it over his head then picked up his duster and shrugged into it with a grimace. "Need to fill up and get the room soon, luv. Gonna be daylight in 'bout an hour."

Trevor walked to the pump and dug in his pocket, pulling out a set of keys. He opened the pump housing and reached in, pushing a button, then locked it back up and put the nozzle into the DeSoto. "Here, fill it up while I go check you in. The room will be on the house." They both looked at him and blinked. He chuckled, "My dad owns the hotel and this station. Actually, he owns a lot of this town." He walked across the street as Spike stepped up next to the nozzle and finished filling up the car.

Dawn laughed as she watched him. "Ok, this has got to rank pretty high up on the weird-o-meter. Guy tries to kill you then buys you gas and a hotel room. I mean, what are the odds that we'd run into someone in some little podunk town who not only knows about vampires, but knows who **we** are."

Spike chuckled as he put the nozzle back in the pump. "Considerin' our history, pet, I'd say this is pretty much a normal day."


	52. Chapter 52 Take a Picture

Not Long to Wait

Ch 52 – Take a Picture

Trevor walked out of the hotel lobby and headed around the corner of the building, waving at them to follow. The DeSoto crept slowly through the parking lot and rolled to a stop in the parking space he'd indicated. Spike and Dawn climbed out of the car and walked back to the trunk. As Spike opened it, Trevor stepped up beside him. "It's room 287. Here's the key and you can stay as long as you like. Do you need help with your bags?"

Dawn shook her head as she took the key then pulled a duffel out of the trunk and slung it over her shoulder. "Nah, we only need the one. Thanks, though."

Spike closed the trunk then turned to Trevor and extended his hand. "Thanks for the petrol and the room. You'd better take your mates to hospital and get 'em fixed up, yeah?"

Trevor frowned as he glanced in the direction of the gas station then reached out and shook Spike's hand. "Yeah, I guess I should. Sorry again for the knife thing and thanks for not killing me."

Spike chuckled, "Yeah, I've been tryin' to cut back on that, mate. You're lucky you met me now and not a decade or so ago. You'd have been dead 'fore you hit the ground."

Trevor laughed nervously and extended his hand to Dawn. "It was nice to meet you both. I'll see you later."

"Nice to meet you too, Trevor. Thanks for everything." Dawn shook his hand then headed for the stairs. She turned around about halfway up and asked, "Hey, is that little diner gonna open soon? I'm kinda hungry."

Trevor nodded as he stepped up on the sidewalk. "Yeah, they should open in the next half hour or so."

"Great, thanks." Dawn continued up the stairs as Spike locked up the car and followed her. He caught up to her as she unlocked the room and pushed the door open.

"You want me to fetch you somethin' to eat, luv? What would you like?"

"A burger and fries sounds really good, but no, I'll go down in a little while. The sun'll be up soon and I don't want you to get caught out."

Trevor watched them walk into the room and close the door then he headed for the diner. He unlocked the back door and let himself in then walked through the storeroom on his way to find the cook. "Morning Tom, I need two orders of burgers and fries sent up to 287."

Tom nodded. "And to drink?"

"Um… lemonade, I think."

"Ok, it'll be about thirty minutes, I just turned everything on. Bill it to the room?"

Trevor shook his head. "No. It's on the house. Any orders coming from that room will be on us until I tell you different, ok? And anybody that takes anything up there is not to accept a tip, I'll take care of that."

Tom nodded. "Sure, Trev. Whatever you say. Who are these people anyway? Family or something?"

Trevor shook his head and chuckled, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Tom looked him over. "Try me. What happened to your face?"

Trevor laughed, "The guy in 287 happened."

Tom looked at Trevor strangely. "And you're buying him food?"

"Yep."

"So who is he?"

Trevor leaned back on the edge of the sink and crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you believe in vampires, Tom?"

Tom stopped opening the packages of fixings for the sandwich counter and looked over at Trevor. "You mean like for real?"

Trevor reached up and peeled the bandage off his neck then turned his head so Tom could see the bite. "Yeah. For real."

Tom stepped close and examined the wound on Trevor's neck. "The two people in that huge, black car that drove past the diner are vampires?"

Trevor shook his head. "No, just the guy."

Tom stepped back. "So if he bit you, why aren't you dead?"

Trevor taped the bandage back on and shrugged. "He bit me because the guys and I attacked him, but he didn't kill any of us. They're all laying knocked out in the parking lot across the street."

Tom looked out the window. "You gonna just leave them there?"

"No. I'll go get them in a minute." He looked at Tom. "You seem to be taking this really well. I just told you that vampires are real and you act like I said it might rain or something."

Tom shrugged. "Been around lots of different places, Trev. Seen lots of different things. Actually, finding out vampires are real explains something I saw in some tiny town in California a few years back." Tom nodded toward the hotel. "He's not gonna bite the waitress or anything, is he?"

Trevor pushed off the sink and turned toward the door. "No. At least I don't think so. He said he was trying to cut back on killing people."

Tom stared at him. "Really. A vampire that doesn't kill people. You sure?"

Trevor shrugged and smiled. "Not entirely, but I suppose it's possible. Guess we'll find out." His face turned serious as he looked at Tom. "Are you ok with this?"

Tom chuckled then turned to the fridge and pulled out two hamburger patties. "Your world, dude. I'm just living in it."

Trevor clapped him on the back and headed for the back door. "I'll be by later. Thanks, Tom."

X

XXXX

X

Spike was lying naked on the bed as Dawn peeled the bandage off his back. She wiped the dried blood away then pressed on his rib and smiled when she got no reaction. "Good as new. You're all healed. That was quick."

Spike nodded and murmured into the pillow, "S' your blood, luv."

She leaned down and nibbled gently across his back as her fingers trailed lightly down his side. He twitched a little and she smiled against his shoulder blade. "I didn't know you were ticklish."

He growled as he turned over, "M' not."

She tickled his side again and he grabbed her hand and laughed, "Pet!"

She smiled as her fingers kept tickling. "What's the matter?"

He tried to scowl at her but the corners of his mouth kept turning up. "Master Vampires are not ticklish!"

She laughed, "Yeah, just like they're not cute or cuddly."

He pulled her down on top of him. "Right." He tangled his hands in her hair as she kissed his neck and nipped down his chest. She licked a lazy trail down his stomach and nipped gently on his hip bone and he moaned loudly and thrust his hips off the bed as she took him deep. He was panting and thrusting into her throat when a knock sounded on the door. She raised her head and he groaned, "Just ignore it, luv, please."

He moaned as she took him deep one more time then got up and walked over to the door. He fisted his hands in the sheets at his sides and growled, "Dawn." She turned and smiled at him as she opened the door. She heard a loud gasp from the doorway and turned to see a very embarrassed young waitress holding a tray of food.

Dawn called over her shoulder, "Um, Spike? You might want to cover up."

Spike raised his head and looked at the waitress then pulled the sheet over himself. "Beg pardon, luv."

The sheet didn't do much to conceal the large part of him that was standing at attention, if anything it accentuated it. The girl's eyes trailed over his pale, chiseled torso, and paused at the bulge barely covered by the sheet as she stammered, "Um… that's ok… um… sir." She carried the tray in and set it on the table. "Um… Trevor had me bring this up to you."

Spike rolled onto his side and the sheet pulled tight against him. "Tell 'im thanks for me, would ya, pet?" The waitress nodded then blushed as she moved quickly to the door.

Dawn dug a few bills out of her duster and handed them to the waitress who shook her head. Her eyes flicked over to Spike again as she stammered, "No thank you, ma'am. Trevor said not to accept any tips from this room." She leaned in close to Dawn and whispered, "Is he really a vampire?"

Spike smirked and let the demon out. "Yeah, luv. I'm really a vampire." The waitress squeaked and backed up against the wall by the door as she stared at his fangs and amber eyes. Spike chuckled, "Don't worry, pet. 'M not gonna bite you." He leashed the demon and smiled over at her as she stepped tentatively away from the wall. Her eyes traveled slowly over him again and she whispered to Dawn, "Wow. You're a lucky woman."

Dawn grinned at her. "You have no idea." The waitress backed out of the room, her eyes never leaving Spike, as Dawn chuckled and closed the door.

Spike threw the sheet off and leered at her, "Where were we?"

Dawn smirked at him as she stuffed the bills back into her duster pocket. "But I'm hungry, Spike. Maybe I should eat first." She lifted the lid off one of the plates of food and smiled as she picked up a French fry. She dipped it in some ketchup then slowly trailed it over her tongue and sucked the fry into her mouth.

Spike groaned as he watched her wet, pink, tongue slip out and lick a bit of ketchup off her lip. "You're torturin' me, pet. Please come back to bed."

She put the lid back on the plate and backed away from the table. Her fingers trailed lightly over the buttons of her shirt as she looked over at him. "I'm torturing you, huh?" She popped the top button as her tongue slipped out and ran over her top lip. She popped two more buttons then slipped her hand under her shirt and lightly pinched a nipple, smiling when Spike groaned.

She popped the rest of the buttons, letting her shirt hang open as she ran her hands over her breasts and down her stomach to the waistband of her skirt. Spike's eyes were glued to her hands and he licked his lips as she started pushing the skirt down. She stopped and grinned over at him. "Nah, think I'll eat."

He jumped off the bed and was standing in front of her with his hands on her skirt before she could even take a step. He nipped along her throat and said in that low, rumbling purr that always turned her legs to jelly, "Think I'll eat first, luv." He dropped to his knees in front of her, pushing her back onto the dresser as he pulled her skirt down. He lifted her legs over his shoulders and leaned in, licking slowly. Her fingers tangled in his hair as he started licking faster and slowly slid two fingers in. She was ready. She'd been ready since the fight in the parking an hour earlier. He sucked her in and she was there. She fisted her hands in his hair as she thrust against his face and screamed at the ceiling.

He licked at her gently as she quivered and shook, getting to his feet when she pulled him up by his hair. He was about to slide into her when they heard something bump against the wall by the window. Spike looked over and saw an eyeball peeking through a crack in the curtain. "Looks like we have an audience, pet."

Dawn slid off the dresser as Spike moved quickly to the door and jerked it open. He stepped out onto the balcony and smirked at the waitress and two other young women kneeling by the window. "Can I help you ladies?"

They squealed and got to their feet, giggling and blushing as they looked him over. One held up a cell phone and snapped a picture before they spun and ran down the balcony. Spike shouted after them then shook his head as he stepped back into the room and closed the door. He pulled the curtain so the window was completely covered then turned to see Dawn lying on the bed holding her sides.

"What's so bleedin' funny, pet?"

She propped herself up on her elbows and smiled, "You," then sat up and slipped her shirt off. "You could've just pulled the curtain, you know. You didn't have to go outside all naked. You're just lucky this side of the hotel is in the shade." She chuckled as she nodded toward the door. "I'm sure the people in the parking lot got an eyeful."

Spike scowled. "Those birds got the eyeful. One of 'em took a bleedin' picture!"

Dawn giggled again. "Really? Wonder if it'll show up on the internet. Might have to buy a laptop and check it out."

He stalked across the room and stopped in front of her. "You don't have a problem with strangers gawkin' at snaps of me starkers with a bleedin' cock stand?"

Dawn laughed. "Well, you're the one who went outside with everything hanging out, and you had no problem showing those guys at the gas station."

He gently grasped her chin and lifted her eyes to his. "I did that to keep their attention on me while you got your clothes sorted. Didn't want those sods peekin' at your naughty bits. Those are mine."

She took his hand in hers and smiled. "Thanks for that, Spike, but you know you're not exactly what I would call shy to begin with. I mean, you've been a stripper. Lots of people have seen you naked with Spike junior standing at attention. Why are you so upset about this?"

He shrugged and looked at the floor. "Don't know, just thought you'd be jealous of other birds lookin' at me is all."

She smiled up at him. "Well, you are very nice to look at, Spike." She leaned back and raked her eyes over him from head to toe as she licked her lips. "I don't have a problem with them having your picture." She wrapped her hand around him and stroked gently. "You want to know why?" He swallowed and nodded. "Because all they've got is a picture. I have the real thing." She leaned close and quickly took him deep then let him go and smiled up at him. "Now, if they start trying to get handsy with you, well, that's different. That I would have a problem with."

Spike smirked at her. "So, it's ok for the chits to look, but not touch?"

She reached up and trailed her fingers down his chest and stomach, smiling when the muscles twitched under her feather light touch. "Yep. I'm the only one that gets to touch." He groaned and his hands tangled in her hair as she licked up his length then took him deep in her throat. She swallowed around him as her head bobbed and he growled low in his chest then threw his head back and roared.

She scooted up the bed, pulling him with her, then moaned and clutched his shoulders as he slid into her with a long slow thrust. Her legs wrapped around his waist and pulled him deeper as he murmured against her neck, "Love you, Dawn."


	53. Chapter 53 Great Googly Moogly

Not Long to Wait

Ch 53 – Great Googly Moogly

Xander heard giggling and whispering coming from the dining room. He put down the piece of drywall he was about to hang in the living room and peeked around the corner. All eight girls were clustered around his laptop, blushing and giggling at something on the screen.

He walked quickly into the dining room then stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth dropping open when he saw the image they were giggling over. His eyes trailed slowly over the sculpted cheekbones and down the chiseled torso then screeched to a halt at the… *_Holy Twinkies!* _He snapped his eyes shut but the image flared brightly in his mind so he wrenched them open again and focused on the china cabinet across the room. He took a deep breath and managed to say in an almost normal tone of voice, "Where'd you get a picture of him?"

A dark-haired girl with flashing green eyes looked up at him. "You know him?"

Xander stammered, still staring at the china cabinet, "Uh… yeah… that's Spike. Where'd you get a picture of him naked?" *_And not __**just**__ naked, either. Great Googly Moogly, that's quite the Mr. Happy he's got there. No wonder he makes the Dawnster scream.* _He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. *_And I __**so**__ did __**not**__ just think that!*_

A petite girl with flame red hair clapped her hand to her mouth and squealed, "Spike? Like **The** Spike? William the Bloody? Slayer of Slayers?"

Xander nodded, yep, still staring at the china cabinet. "Yeah, that's old Fang Face."

The dark-haired girl looked over the picture and smirked. "Now we know why they call him the Big Bad."

Xander yelped, "Jackie!" *_And I was __**not **__just thinking the exact same thing.*_

She looked up at him, the perfect picture of innocence. "What? I'm just saying. I mean, WOW."

_*WOW does not even begin to cover it.* _Xander sighed, "Where did you get this picture?"

A tall blonde girl stood up from the table and put her hands on her hips. "My cousin. She works in a hotel in some dinky little town. She took the picture with her phone and emailed it to me."

Xander reached out and closed the laptop. *_There. Now maybe I can think about other things, like about where all these thoughts are coming from. Oh yeah, the picture of the ridiculously sexy vampire.* _"Don't you girls have some training or something to do? Besides, you're all too young to be looking at pictures like that. Regina, you're a full-fledged Slayer now. You should be setting a better example." *_Yeah, like I am, because I am so not lusting after any vampires.*_

Regina ducked her head in embarrassment and whispered, "Sorry, Xander."

The blonde stood as tall as she could and huffed, "I'm almost eighteen! I've seen naked men before! Besides, he's totally hot! I mean, did you not see his hard abs and his hard… uh… abs?"

_*Yeah. I saw the abs and the… abs. So entirely not the point.* _Xander ran his hands through his hair. Again. *_I'm gonna be bald before this is over with.* _"Donna, you're supposed to be staking vampires, not ogling them." *_That's my job.* _He mentally slapped himself. *_Not my job. Not my job.*_

Donna muttered under her breath, "I'd let him _**stake**_ me."

_*And oh the bad, lusty thoughts that statement digs up.* _Xander shook his head. "He's taken. He's with Dawn." *_And I am not jealous of sweet little Dawnie getting to rub her hands all over…* _He clenched his hands and gritted his teeth. *_This is a road I am so not even going to go down. He's a guy. I'm a guy. And hey, me so not being with the gayness here. Not that it's bad or wrong or anything, but… not gay!*_

Donna sneered. "So? It's not like vampires are monogamous."

Xander chuckled, "Well, this one is. I've seen them together. He wouldn't notice another woman… *_or man…* _even if she… *_he…* _was on fire. He loves Dawn." *_And that's as it should be. So lusty wrong thoughts about pale, chiseled, sexy as hell vampires will cease immediately. I mean it. That's the end.*_

Donna laughed, "Oh, he does not! Everybody knows that vampires can't love! They're evil and they don't have souls!"

Xander dropped down into the empty chair in front of the laptop and sighed, "You know, Donna, I used to believe that, but I was wrong. Most vampires _**can't**_ love, but Spike does, even without a soul. Don't ask me how or why, but he does. And not all demons are evil. I know I haven't really been teaching you that, but from here on out I'm going to." He looked up at the girls. "Now go do whatever. I've got drywall to hang."

Donna moved to open the laptop and Xander put his hand on it. "No. I'm going to delete that picture and that's the end of it." *_Completely the end. Out of sight, out of mind. At least I really hope so.*_

Donna whined, "But it's mine! You can't delete it!"

Xander glared at her. "I can and I will. He's my friend and although he probably doesn't give two Twinkies who sees him naked, I'm going to protect his privacy. So, out. All of you."_ *And if I looked like that, I'd be naked all the time_.*

They all grumbled as they walked out of the dining room and Xander heard Donna tell them in a not very quiet whisper, "Don't worry, I sent it to the printer. I'll go get it and meet you outside."

He shook his head as he opened the laptop. The screen flickered back on and Xander leaned back and tilted his head. *_If that's what a diet of blood does for you, then I'm gonna start biting people.* _He shook his head then clapped his hands to his eyes and scrubbed furiously, trying to erase the image from his brain. *_Ok, that's never going to go away. Great. It's going to be a world of fun the next time I see him. Especially if lusty wrong thoughts… or other things… pop up. Can you say __**awkward? ***_

He was about to delete the email when he had another idea. He hit forward, typed an address and a short note, then sent it out. He momentarily debated with himself about deleting the picture, then quickly deleted both copies of the email before he could change his mind. He leaned back in the chair and dug his phone out of his pocket. *_Should be getting a phone call in a few minutes.*_

X

XXXX

X

Dawn cracked one eye when she heard her phone vibrating in her duster pocket. She lifted her head off Spike's chest and slid toward the edge of the bed, trying not to wake him. He shivered a little then rolled into her warm spot and relaxed. She smiled and pulled the blankets over him then shrugged into her robe and walked over to her duster. *_I really need to get him another electric blanket.*_

She pulled her phone out of the pocket and flipped it open. *_An email from Xander?* _She opened the message and read the note, _Saw something interesting today. Thought you might like it. _She opened the attachment and gasped then looked it over closely and smiled. *_Wonder how Xan got this?*_

She punched Xander's number and fished her smokes out of her duster, stepping outside while she waited for him to pick up. She hit the speaker button and set the phone on the railing then shook a smoke out of the pack and lit it.

"Hi, Dawnie."

"Hi, Xan. Nice picture. Didn't really need it, though, I've got the real deal right here. How'd you get it?"

Xander chuckled, "Apparently the girl that took it is the cousin of one of my girls."

Dawn laughed, "Wow, small world."

"Yeah. So… um… why exactly is Evil Dead walking around all not with the clothes getting his picture taken?"

Dawn chuckled, "There were some girls peeking in our hotel room window and he caught them."

"Well, could you tell him to put something on next time? A towel, a robe, the room service menu, just about anything would work."

Dawn laughed, "I really like him without clothes or menus, but I'll try, Xan."

Xander laughed, "TMI, Dawn. TMI. I've gotta go. The girls printed out the picture and are currently in the back yard drooling over it and now I've got to go out there and take it away from them. I'm about to have a houseful of pissed off slayers and I've still got drywall to hang. Tell Fang Face I said hi, and if I end up in the hospital, he's got to come finish the drywall."

"I will. Let me know how it goes. Bye, Xan."

"Later, Dawnie."

She flipped the phone closed and stubbed her smoke out on the railing then glanced around at the little town. Sunlight was glinting off something behind the trees at the back of the parking lot, so she stood up on her tiptoes and peered over them. *_A Target! Haven't seen one of those in a while. Cool. I can go pick up a new blanket later.* _She turned toward the door and jumped when her phone rang in her hand. She flipped it open and hit the speaker button.

"Hello?" She set the phone back on the railing and opened the room door.

"Hello Dawn, it's Giles. Are you and Spike enjoying your holiday?"

"Oh hey, Giles. Yeah, it's been fun so far. Got a place for me yet?" She pulled a chair out of the room, closing the door quietly, then dropped down into it and put her feet up on the railing.

"Yes, it would seem so. How does Las Vegas sound?"

Dawn sat up in the chair. "Vegas? No way! Spike is gonna love that! But why? There's no Hellmouth in Vegas, is there?"

"As a matter of fact, there is, although it's been dormant for close to fifty years. Apparently, it's recently become active, and we're getting reports of vampire activity and demon sightings. Well, more than the usual amount, at any rate. The Council would like you and Spike to make your presence known in the Las Vegas demon community while we investigate a way to permanently close that Hellmouth."

"Yeah, ok. We can do that, but how does a dormant Hellmouth suddenly become active?" Dawn shook another smoke out of the pack and leaned back in the chair as she lit it.

"There's been a lot of construction going on and from what we've heard; a workman was killed deep in an underground cavern. We think his blood activated the Hellmouth. What we don't know is if his death was accidental or deliberate. There might be someone or something vying for control of Las Vegas."

"Something like The First or Glory?"

"Very possibly so. Las Vegas would be an ideal place for a demon or Hell God to set up housekeeping. How soon do you think you can be there?"

"We're not too far away, maybe three or four days, a week tops. I'll call you when we get there."

"That would be satisfactory. I'll have lodging ready for you when you arrive."

"Can you make sure it's vampire safe? I don't want Spike to be blowin' in the Vegas wind, and sewer or tunnel access would be a plus, so he can move around during the day if he wants to."

"Yes, of course. I'll make the arrangements."

"Thanks, Giles. Talk to you soon. Bye."

She flipped the phone closed, stubbed out her smoke and walked back into the room, dragging the chair behind her. Spike moved a little, burrowing deeper into the blankets, and she smiled over at him as she sat down at the table. She lifted the lid off one of the plates and picked up the burger. It was cold, but still tasted wonderful. Probably helped that she was half starved. She ate the other burger and most of the fries before her stomach felt full, then leaned back in the chair, sipping a glass of lemonade and watching Spike sleep. *_He looks so cute when he's asleep. Love those curls. He'd probably shave his head if I told him his curls make him look cute. Mr. Big Bad Vampire. Big Bad Completely Stubborn Vampire is more like it. You're cute, Spike. Deal with it.*_

She grinned as she imagined them walking down the Vegas strip like a couple of tourists from Iowa or somewhere. *_He's probably been there dozens of times. I'm still gonna be a tourist, though. At least for a little while.*_

She finished up her lemonade then slipped out of the robe and crawled in beside Spike. He snuggled up against her, wrapping his arm over her, then murmured sleepily, "Love you."

She kissed him gently and whispered, "Love you too, Spike," then closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	54. Chapter 54 Finish the Drywall

Not Long to Wait

Ch 54 – Finish the Drywall

"Mmmm, that feels good, Spike." Dawn opened her eyes and smiled down at the mess of brown curls tickling her thighs.

He raised his head and smiled at her. "Thought you'd like to wake up like I did that one mornin'." He dipped his head and continued licking as his fingers slid into her. She tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer as he sucked her in. He worked his tongue and she started panting and fisted her hands in his hair as she arched up off the bed with a scream.

Spike licked at her gently until she pulled him up her body and kissed him hard, probing his mouth with her tongue until she had to break away to catch her breath. "Thanks for waking me up." She sat up and started to slide off the bed. "We really should get going."

She giggled as Spike wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back to him. "Not so fast, pet. We're on holiday, remember? We're not on anybody's timetable but our own."

She smiled up at him as she lay back down. "Was there something you wanted to do before we left?"

He grinned as he lifted her legs around his waist and slid into her. "Yeah. Want to make you scream again."

She reached up and pulled his face down to hers then whispered, "Bring it, Big Bad." He grinned as his demon came forward and he thrust into her hard as he bit deep into her neck. The feelings from his bite flooded through her and she moaned as her arms slid around him and her nails dug into his back. He thrust hard and deep as he drank from her and she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist and lifted her hips off the bed as she screamed at the ceiling. She clenched around him and he drove deep, roaring against her neck, then collapsed on top of her.

He slid his fangs out and licked the bite closed then watched as it healed. He brought his fingers up and brushed them gently across the smooth skin and she shivered. "That tickles, Spike."

He chuckled, "Sorry, kitten. Just amazed at how fast you heal."

She looked at him. "Yeah. Pretty cool, huh?"

He moved next to her as he tilted his head. "Then why was that git able to kill you?"

She rose up on one elbow and laid her hand gently over his unbeating heart. "The bolt pierced my heart, Spike. It happened too fast for me to heal right away."

He nodded faintly. "Do you… ah… remember anythin' from when you were… um… dead?"

She shook her head. "No. I heard you yell and then I was falling. That's the last thing I remember before I woke up with you passed out next to me."

He asked softly, "Did it hurt?"

"What, dying?" He nodded and she shook her head. "No, not really. The bolt hurt for a few seconds but I think it was more surprise than pain. The only part of waking up that hurt was seeing that you were injured." She wrapped her arm over him and snuggled into his side. "If you'd opened the door, you'd have been dusted. I came way too close to losing you."

He snaked his arm under her and pulled her close then said in a hoarse whisper, "I did lose you and it destroyed me."

She placed a gentle kiss to his chest. "I know and I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can only imagine how you must have felt; I know how I'd feel if I lost you."

His chest rose as he took a deep breath. "I didn't want to go on, luv. I was ready to dust, to just be gone."

She squeezed him tight. "It's a good thing I know how stubborn you are once you make up your mind about something. After Wils told me that you planned to take a walk in the sun, I asked her to ward the window. She didn't think you'd actually go through with it, but I didn't want to take the chance."

He smiled. "Thanks for that, kitten."

She smiled back. "So, the next time I die, and there will be a next time, you can't go all whatever and try to dust yourself, okay?"

He chuckled, "I won't, pet. I'll just wait for you to wake up. I promise."

"Good, 'cause if I wake up to a pile of dust, I am so going to kill you." She gave him a quick kiss as he chuckled at her then she climbed off the bed and grabbed her phone from the table. "Xander sent me an email I think you should see." She pushed a few buttons and handed him the phone.

He took the phone and looked at the picture displayed on the screen then goggled at Dawn. "The whelp sent you this? How the bloody hell did he get it?"

Dawn burst out laughing at the look on Spike's face and it took her a few minutes to calm down enough to speak. "The girl that took it is the cousin of one of Xander's girls. They've all seen it."

Spike's hand clenched around the phone, his fingers skating over the buttons and making them beep before he dropped it and ran his hands through his hair. "That's just bloody fantastic! Wonder how many other people that bint sent it to. How many others are lookin' at a snap of me in the altogether?"

Dawn dropped onto the bed next to him. "Spike, calm down. It's not that big a deal. I mean, like I said before, you are very nice to look at. Well, way more than nice, you're amazing to look at. Think of it this way; you're bringing happiness to untold numbers of women and possibly some men."

Spike laughed, "Well, when you put it that way, thanks for the compliment and you're amazin' to look at, too, pet. Just don't be takin' snaps of yourself and sendin' 'em to anybody."

She wrapped her arms around him and chuckled against his shoulder. "Don't worry. I won't."

He looked over at the decimated tray of food on the table and lifted his eyebrow. "When did you eat, pet?"

"A few hours ago. Xander's email woke me up, so I called him and we talked about it. He wants me to tell you hi and the next time you catch someone peeking in you're supposed to put something on, even if it's the room service menu."

Spike reached over and snatched the menu off the nightstand then held it over himself and chuckled. "Wouldn't work, pet. Not big enough. We'll just have to stay in posher places if I'm to be wearin' the menu." He put the menu back then stood and walked over to the table. He picked through the leftover food and frowned. "Wasn't it cold, pet?"

She smiled at him. "Yeah, but it was still yummy. Of course I was starving, so that helped."

"Are you hungry now?"

She stood and started for the bathroom. "Yeah, a little, but I can wait for a while. Oh, Xan also said that if he ends up in the hospital, you have to go finish hanging his drywall."

He laughed, "Like I know a soddin' thing 'bout drywall! Why would he go to hospital? Is he sick?"

She shook her head and chuckled, "No, the girls printed out your picture and he was going to take it away from them."

Spike burst into laughter. "The whelp is gonna be fightin' eight slayers over a snap of me? That's bloody funny, that is. Tell you what, if they whip him, I promise to do my level best to finish his drywall."

"That could be fun to watch." She paused and stared off into space for a minute then licked her lips. "Yeah, I could go for that. You shirtless and wearing a tool belt. Watching the muscles in your arms and back as you lift…" She shivered and Spike started laughing. She smiled as she walked over to him and trailed her fingers down his chest. "I'm gonna catch a quick shower, want to join me?"

He gasped as she took a nipple in her mouth and bit gently. "If I join you, it's not gonna be quick, luv."

She took his hand and led him toward the bathroom. "I'm not in a hurry. We're on vacation, remember?"

He grinned as he followed her. "That we are, kitten. That we are."


	55. Chapter 55 Sounds Like a Lion

Not Long to Wait

Ch 55 – Sounds Like a Lion

He dropped down on the bed with a towel around his waist and picked up Dawn's phone. Dawn walked out of the bathroom toweling her hair and sat down next to him then leaned over and looked at the picture. "That is a great pic, Spike. You photograph really well."

He smiled at her then looked closely at the picture and brought his hand up to run it through his hair. "My hair hasn't been this long in ages, pet. I forgot what it looked like, all the curls and whatnot."

"Don't you like the way it looks?"

He looked at the picture again then frowned. "Can't really tell."

She took the phone from him and backed up just a bit then snapped a picture of his head and shoulders. "Here. Now you can see it better."

He looked at the picture and scowled as he tugged on his hair trying to straighten a curl. "No, I don't like it. Looks poncy. I look too much like that git Dracula. Might as well get the ruffles and cape."

Dawn gently ran her fingers through his curls, untangling them. "It's your hair, Spike. I like it like this, but if you want to do something different, it's up to you."

"I've just got this feelin' that I should go back to blond."

She leaned in and gently kissed him. "Works for me, Blondie Bear."

He pulled back and scowled at her. "Oi! Don't call me that! That bint drove me right 'round the bend with that insipid nickname. Thought 'bout stakin' her more than once."

Dawn laughed, "Ok, ok. I won't call you that. Are you gonna leave it long or cut it short?"

He looked at the picture again. "Short. I'd look like a surfer or some such rot with long blond hair."

Dawn leaned back and looked at him, trying to picture his hair blond, then chuckled, "You'd be the palest surfer on the planet." She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair again. "When do you wanna do this?"

He shrugged. "Today… tomorrow… not all that picky, luv. Can you cut it or do I need to find myself a barber?"

She smiled. "I'll run to the store and pick up the stuff and we'll do it today." She finished toweling her hair then walked into the bathroom and quickly brushed it out.

He lay back on the bed, resting his head on his arms as he watched her pull on a skirt and tank top. "Could you pick up a few packets of Sweet N' Low?"

Dawn stopped fastening the straps of her sandal and looked over at him. "Sweet N' Low? For what?"

"To mix with the bleach. Takes some of the sting out."

She finished doing up her sandal then walked over to the counter above the mini fridge and started poking around in the coffee supplies. "Got some right here. How many do you need?"

"Two or three should do it."

"We've got three." She walked over to the bed and crawled up on it, straddling him. "I'm going to get a bleaching kit, gel and scissors. Anything else you need?"

He shook his head. "Can't think of anythin'."

She leaned down and took his bottom lip in her teeth as she ground against him. He moaned low in his throat, capturing her lips in a blistering kiss as his hands trailed down her back and gripped her hips, pulling her closer. She broke the kiss when air became an issue and feathered kisses along his jaw to his ear. "So what are you gonna do while I'm gone?" She nibbled across his collar bone and laved his nipple with her tongue then pulled it sharply into her mouth and suckled. She sat up and climbed off the bed as he groaned.

He adjusted himself under the towel then looked up at her. "Lie here bloody hard as stone and wait for you to get back, I guess."

She smiled down at him. "I can't leave you like this, Spike. That would be mean." He yelped when she reached down and snatched the towel off then growled when she knelt beside him on the bed and took him deep into her throat.

He moaned, "Oh God, luv," as she worked him fast and hard. He was panting and clutching her head, tangling his fingers in her hair as he thrust up into her mouth, then he bent his knees and brought his feet up on the bed as she sucked him in deep. He whimpered a little when she let him go and raised her head, then his whimper turned to a low throaty moan as she sucked two fingers into her mouth, laving them generously with her tongue until they were dripping with moisture.

She lowered her head and took him deep into her throat again as her fingers skated over his tight hole and pushed in, quickly finding the sensitive bundle of nerves. She thrust her fingers in time with her mouth and his hips rose off the bed as his demon came forward with an ear-shattering roar. He fell back to the bed, twitching and still in game face. His demon receded as his body went completely limp and he murmured something unintelligible as she sat up. She smiled down at him then leaned down and kissed him gently. "You have a nice nap and I'll be back before you know it."

She climbed off the bed and pulled the blankets over him then gathered her wallet and phone and headed for the door. She stopped and looked over at him then smiled as she whispered, "Love you, Spike." She opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony. There were several people standing in their open doorways looking around.

An older gentleman, three doors down, looked over at her as she stepped out. "Excuse me, miss. Did you hear that?"

She smiled sweetly at him. "Hear what?"

His brow furrowed as he frowned. "I'm not sure. It sounded like a lion roaring."

She chuckled. *_He does kinda sound like a lion, doesn't he?* _ "Maybe someone is watching Animal Planet and has their TV on too loud."

He nodded faintly. "I suppose, but it sure didn't sound like it was coming from a television. It sounded like a real lion."

She shrugged. "Sorry, I didn't hear it."

He nodded again as he looked down the balcony. "Oh well." He turned back to his room. "You have a nice day, miss."

She leaned on the railing and smiled. "You too." She waited until everyone had gone back into their rooms then looked around quickly. She straightened up and leapt over the railing, landing lightly behind the DeSoto. She was about to step off the sidewalk when her Slayer sense suddenly screamed _Vampire!_

She closed her eyes and focused on the sensation. *_Older, but not as old as Spike.*_ She turned in a slow circle then started walking down the sidewalk, stopping in front of a door almost at the end of the building. *_He's in there.* _She turned and looked at the car parked in front of the room, frowning at the license plates, then walked up to the driver's door and looked at the writing in the lower right corner of the window. *_Sporty little car with vamp-safe tempered glass and California plates. Angel. He still has people following me. Annoying damn vampire.*_

She held her hand over the door lock until the button popped up then wrenched the door open. She plopped down into the driver's seat and dug around until she found paper and a pen then scribbled a note; _See me when it gets dark. I know Angel probably told you not to, but do it anyway or I'll send Spike after you. Dawn_

She slammed the car door shut then slipped the note under the room door and walked back over to the DeSoto, humming under her breath. *_Wonder how far away I have to get before I can't feel Spike.* _She stopped by the driver's door and held her hand over the lock. The lock button popped up and she opened the door and climbed in then held her hand over the ignition and started the car with a roar. She grinned as she shifted into reverse and backed out of the space. *_I love being The Key.*_


	56. Chapter 56 Vampire Beauty Shop

Not Long to Wait

Ch 56 – Vampire Beauty Shop

Dawn smiled as she watched her sleeping vampire stretch out and get comfortable. He flopped over onto his stomach and stretched his limbs to the four corners of the bed then heaved a giant sigh. *_Guess he likes the blanket.*_ She checked the setting to make sure she wasn't going to have vampire flambé, then stuffed the wrapper into the small trash can. She carried the hair stuff into the bathroom and pulled everything out of the box, arranging it neatly on the counter.

Spike was sitting up in bed, smoothing out the toasty warm blanket covering him when she walked out of the bathroom. He looked up at her and grinned. "Thanks for the blanket, luv."

She smiled back as she lifted a box onto the other bed. "You're welcome, but you should thank yourself, it was your money that bought it. The Council hasn't paid me yet."

He chuckled, "So you're gonna be moochin' off me then, I take it."

She opened the box and took out a large piece of Styrofoam then chucked it at him. "I am not _mooching,_ mister. By the way, thanks for the new laptop. You really shouldn't have."

He tossed the Styrofoam on the floor and climbed out of bed. "Well, that's just the kind of bloke I am. Love takin' care of my lady." He peered over her shoulder at the open box. "So what'd I get you anyway? Top of the line, of course."

She shook her head. "No, it's just a basic laptop. I'm only gonna use it for email and surfing, so I didn't need all the bells and whistles. As long as I can look at naked pictures of hot vampires, it'll do."

He growled in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her. "Better be lookin' at only one vampire, luv."

She turned in his arms and nibbled on his neck. "What, you don't want me to go to HotNakedVamps dot com?"

He chuckled, "No. If you wanna see a naked vampire, all you have to do is ask, pet."

She wrapped her arms around his middle and squeezed. "Ok, I'm asking. You. All naked. All the time."

He laughed, "Might have a little problem with the _all the time_ bit, luv. Where would I keep my weapons and fags when we're out patrollin'?"

She giggled against his neck. "Ok then. You. All naked. All the time at home. Is that better?"

He nodded and kissed her ear. "Yeah, that I can do, but you have to be starkers too. Wouldn't be fair otherwise."

She pulled back and gave him a serious look. "So, we're agreed, then. Us. All naked. All the time at home."

He backed up and held out his hand. "It's not set 'til we shake on it."

She shook his hand then giggled. "I'm already breaking our contract. I have clothes on."

He chuckled, "S'ok, pet, I'll let it go this time, but next time I'll have to find a way to punish you."

She licked her lips as she looked him over. "And what will you do to me?"

He winked at her. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see, but I promise it'll feel good."

She smiled. "I just might have to break our contract a lot then." She turned back to the box sitting on the bed and pulled the laptop out of it then set it down next to the box. "Oh, guess what? I found out how far away I can get and still feel you."

"How far?"

"About half a mile, give or take. I could just barely feel you, but I couldn't feel the other vampire at all, probably 'cause you're older."

A growl rumbled through his chest as he grabbed her upper arms and spun her to face him then snarled, "What _other vampire_?" She looked down at his fingers digging into her flesh. He jerked then loosened his grip and dropped his hands. He backed away from her and looked at the floor.

"Geez, Spike! What's your deal?" She rubbed at the finger marks on one arm then walked over to him and lifted his chin so she could look into his eyes, frowning at the betrayal and pain she saw there. "Spike? What's gotten into you? Don't you trust me?"

He closed his eyes as his shoulders slumped then he nodded. "Yeah, I trust you, luv. Just old insecurities come back to haunt me, I guess."

"Angelus and Dru?"

He sighed, "Yeah. She'd forget all 'bout me anytime he walked into the room. I know he was her Sire, but it still hurt, you know? To always be second best."

She pulled him close and murmured against his ear, "You're not second best to me, Spike. You're the only one I want, vampire and man. You don't have to worry about anyone else catching my eye or taking my heart. I'm yours and only yours. Ok?"

He pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. "I know, luv. I'm sorry for hurtin' you."

She pulled him into a soft kiss. "I'll let it go this time because I understand why you did it, but please don't do it again."

He murmured into her hair, "I won't, pet. I promise."

She leaned back and smiled at him. "So, was this our first fight?"

He shrugged. "Guess so, kitten. Hopefully it's the last. I don't want to fight with you."

She smirked at him. "You don't have to. You know I won't lie to you, Spike. If you want to know something, just ask and I'll tell you."

He nodded then let her go and took a deep breath. "So, who's this other vamp?"

She smirked at him. "See? That wasn't so hard." She pointed to her arm. "And look! No fingerprints!" He looked away shamefaced and she took his chin in her hand and brought his eyes to meet hers. "I'm just messing with you, Spike. I know you feel bad about it, and I shouldn't make fun. I'm sorry."

He mumbled something that sounded like, "It's ok."

She smiled at him. "Now, about the other vamp. Angel has someone tailing me. He's in a room on the first floor."

"How do you know he works for the poof?"

She held up her fingers one by one as she named the reasons, "California plates. Vamp-safe glass. Registration in the glove box says Wolfram and Hart."

He tilted his head and smirked. "You broke into the bloke's car?"

She smiled. "I didn't _break _in. I just… kinda… you know… opened the door. It's not like I stole anything, I was just looking for something to write on. I left him a note to come see me when it gets dark."

"Why's Peaches havin' you followed?"

She shrugged. "Who knows? I told you he's annoying like that. Thinks I can't take care of myself or something."

Spike frowned. "Guess he thinks I can't take care of you, either."

Dawn took his hand and started walking toward the bathroom. "We'll find out later, I guess. Let's get your hair done." She stopped in the doorway and waved dramatically at the bathroom. "Welcome to Dawn's Vampire Beauty Shop. Please come in. Your stylist is ready."


	57. Chapter 57 The Right Vampire

Not Long to Wait

Ch 57 – The Right Vampire

"How's it look, pet?"

Dawn pulled out her phone and took a picture then showed it to him. "You look totally Spike-ish again. Well, almost. Jump in the shower and rinse the loose hair off and we'll gel you up, then you'll be all Spikey."

He smirked at her. "All Spikey, luv?"

"Yeah, all Spikey. Got a problem with that, Captain Peroxide?"

Spike groaned. "As long as you don't call me Blondie Bear."

She giggled. "I won't, but now Xan can start calling you the Bleached Menace again."

He pulled the towel from around his shoulders and stepped into the shower. "Bloody fantastic."

She used his towel to sweep up most of the hair then shoved the used towels into a corner of the bathroom and put the lid back on the bleach bottle. Her Slayer sense went off and she froze and closed her eyes for a few seconds then opened them and stepped up to the tub, pulling the shower curtain back far enough to peek in. She enjoyed the sight of the water sheeting across Spike's chest and stomach for a minute then cleared her throat, "Uh… Angel's guy is on his way up here. He should be here right…" A knock sounded on the door. "About now."

She continued staring at him while he smiled down at her and rubbed his hands slowly over his chest and arms. She licked her lips when they started heading south over his stomach and he chuckled, "The door, pet."

She tore her gaze away from him with some effort and blushed as she nodded. "Right. The door. I'll just go get that."

She walked out of the bathroom to the sound of his laughter and opened the door. A tall man with a dark shock of hair falling over his forehead was standing on the balcony, nervously shifting from foot to foot with his gaze firmly locked on his boots. He had a black canvas bag slung over one shoulder and was wearing a dark long-sleeved shirt and black jeans with a pair of scuffed Army boots.

Dawn stepped back and put her hands on her hips. "So, what's your name?"

He looked up at her briefly and stammered, "D..Duncan."

"Well, come in, Duncan. I'm not going to bite you. Spike might, though."

He stepped just inside the door and she pushed it closed then walked over to the bed and dropped down. Duncan was still standing next to the door not looking at anything but his boots. "Why are you so nervous? You can sit, you know."

He glanced quickly around the room then sat on the very edge of the chair closest to the door. "Um, where's Spike?"

She nodded over her shoulder. "Shower. Why are you following me?"

He looked up at her with the greenest eyes she'd ever seen. "Um... I'm not following you. I'm following Spike."

She frowned. "Why?"

Spike stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and water dripping from his newly blond locks and snarled, "Yeah, mate. Why?" He sat down next to Dawn and she picked up the towel from earlier then climbed up on the bed and knelt behind him to dry his hair. She combed through it with her fingers and he leaned into her touch, purring softly, then closed his eyes and leaned back into her, smiling as she rubbed the towel over his chest and stomach. When he was dry, she dropped the towel on the floor then wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder. They both looked over at Duncan who was sitting in the chair staring at them with wide eyes. Spike snarled, "You haven't answered my question. Why you followin' me?"

Duncan jerked and stammered, "Oh… uh…" He took the bag off his shoulder and pulled out a large tranq gun. "I'm supposed to tranq you and take you back to LA if you… um… kill or feed off anybody."

Dawn tensed up, fully expecting Spike to explode and probably kill Duncan, so when he threw his head back and burst into laughter it took her by surprise. "So Peaches sent you to vamp-sit!"

Duncan looked confused. So did Dawn. She moved next to Spike and turned his head to face her. "What?"

He grinned at her. "My Grandsire's worried I'll go back to my evil ways, pet. Don't have a soul and all that rot."

She was still confused. "And that's… good? I thought you'd be beyond pissed that Angel's having us followed. Actually, I'm totally surprised you haven't ripped Duncan's head off."

Duncan's eyes got wider, if that was even possible, and he shrank back into the chair. Spike ignored him as he stood and walked over to the duffel then fished out a pair of jeans and a shirt.

Duncan watched him warily as he walked by and whispered, "So, you're not gonna dust me?"

Spike stopped and looked at him. "Do you want me to?"

"Um… no."

"All right then." Spike walked into the bathroom and closed the door, leaving a very confused vampire and Slayer staring after him.

Dawn looked at Duncan and Duncan looked at Dawn then Dawn said, "What was that?"

Duncan sat up in the chair then leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Everything I've heard or read about Spike says he should've dusted me the second he found out why I was here." He looked up at Dawn. "So why didn't he?"

Dawn tilted her head at him. "You expected him to dust you and you came up here anyway? Why?"

Duncan shrugged. "I thought about running, but then I figured that would just piss him off. I was sorta hoping he'd dust me quick if he didn't have to hunt me down." He looked down at the floor, suddenly embarrassed. "Even though I'm a vampire, I've never been big on pain. I've heard a lot about what he's capable of and I really didn't want to experience it firsthand."

Dawn smiled. "What have you read about him?"

"Uh, Mr. Angel gave me a book."

"What does the book look like? Is it about this big with a dark brown cover held together with some kind of leather lace?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that's the one."

Dawn smiled. "Well, at least you read the book with the most correct information about him. A lot of the books Angel has are crap. So how'd you get stuck tailing us?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Um… Mr. Angel caught me with his secretary in his office."

Spike stepped out of the bathroom, wearing his usual uniform of black jeans and t-shirt as he smoothed down his freshly gelled hair, and barked laughter, "You were shaggin' Harm on the poof's desk?"

Duncan looked like he'd be blushing furiously if he was able to and stuttered, "Uh… not the desk… um… we were… um… in his chair."

Spike dropped onto the bed, clutching his sides and laughing uproariously. After a few minutes, he slowly sat up and wiped his eyes then looked over at Duncan. "So Peaches sent you after me as punishment?"

Duncan shook his head. "No. I asked for an assignment. Any assignment. I just wanted to get away from there because Harmony was getting on my last nerve."

Spike tilted his head. "Not that I don't know firsthand how annoyin' the bint can be, but how so?"

"She kept begging Mr. Angel not to fire her and telling him it was my idea to use his office. After I asked him to send me out on something, he gave me your information and the book and told me to get the hell out of his building. Then Harmony completely freaked out and slapped him because he didn't tell her you were ok. That's the first and only time I've seen Mr. Angel's other face. Now she's sure that you're going to dust me in a fit of jealous rage. She was screaming that Mr. Angel was sending me out to get dusted just to punish her."

Spike laughed again and wiped his eyes. "Well, Harm'll be plenty happy when you show up in one piece, I expect."

Duncan smiled. "Could you please tell her you dusted me?"

Spike burst out laughing then looked at Dawn. "Could I borrow your phone, luv?"

Dawn went into the bathroom and retrieved her phone then brought it out to Spike. He handed it to Duncan. "Punch in the number for the main switchboard then give me the phone."

Duncan punched in the number then handed Spike the phone. Spike hit send then pushed the speaker button and smiled.

"Wolfram and Hart, how may I help you?"

"Good evening. I'd like to speak with Mr. Angel, if it's not too much trouble, please."

"Yes sir, I'll put you through to his office."

The phone clicked into some odd elevator music for about thirty seconds and Dawn tilted her head at Spike's good manners. "When did you get so polite?"

Spike smirked at her. "Was raised an English gentleman, pet. I can be polite when needed."

"Wolfram and Hart. This is Harmony, may I help you?"

"Hey Harm, it's Spike."

He held the phone as far away from himself as the length of his arm would allow when she screamed, "Blondie Bear! You're not dust!"

"No Harm, I'm fine. Put me through to Lord Forehead, would ya?"

"Sure, hold on."

There was a blank pause for a few seconds then, "This is Angel."

"Where the hell do you get off sendin' someone to dust me?"

"What?"

"Your boy Duncan. Git tried to dust me last night. Said you sent 'im, well screamed it, actually."

"Where is he?"

"All over the carpet. Don't think the maid's gonna be able to clean that up."

"You son of a bitch! You didn't have to dust him!"

"What did you expect, Peaches? You send any more minions after me and I'll dust them too."

They heard a scream and the sound of a door being slammed open. "I told you Spike would dust Duncan, but you sent him anyway!"

Angel growled, "Get out, Harmony."

Harmony screeched, "I hate you!"

Angel chuckled, "Noted. Now get out."

They heard his door slam again and the sound of the phone being picked up. Angel chuckled, "She's gone. So, Duncan, you trying to get Harm to slap me again?"

Duncan smiled nervously. "Uh… no, sir."

Dawn spoke up, "Wait a minute. How did you know Spike was lying about Duncan?"

Angel snorted, "Because he made sure to call the main office line and go through Harm. He'd never talk to her willingly unless he wanted her to hear something. That's why I put the call on speaker when she told me who it was."

"So why'd you send 'im after me, anyway? Don't trust me?"

Angel sighed, "No. I trust you, but I had to come up with some reason for him to track you. Let's just say an old friend told me that you two needed to meet."

Spike growled, "Which _old friend_?"

"You need to talk to Duncan. All I was supposed to do was make sure you two ran into each other."

Duncan looked confused. "So you were going to send me after him all along? The office thing had nothing to do with it?"

"No and no. I wasn't going to send anyone after Spike. I trust that he can control himself, and even if he started killing again, there's not a lot I can do about it but lock him up or dust him and neither of those options are acceptable to me. The _office thing _was the event that let me know I'd found the right vampire, so I made up a reason to send you after him."

Spike scowled. "Right vampire? Right for what?"

"Just talk to Duncan and call me back later."

Spike sighed, "Fine, Peaches. I'll have a chat with the lad. How's Red settlin' in?"

You could almost see Angel's grin as he said, "Good. She's started working with the witches here and she loves it."

"Well, tell her hello from Bit and me and we'll talk to you later, yeah?"

"Will do. Talk to you later, Spike."

Spike flipped the phone closed and dropped it on the bed then leaned back on his elbows and looked at Duncan. "So, Duncan. Tell me all 'bout you."


	58. Chapter 58 Side Effect

Not Long to Wait

Ch 58 – Side Effect

Duncan squirmed in the chair under Spike's intense gaze. "Uh… what do you want to know?"

Spike scooted up to the top of the bed and leaned against the headboard then pulled Dawn against his chest and rubbed his hands over her arms. "Everythin'. Start at the beginnin'."

"Um… ok. I was born around 1920 in a little town in Scotland…."

Dawn frowned. "**Around** 1920? You don't know for sure?"

Duncan shook his head. "No. All I know is what the nuns at the orphanage told me. I don't even know my true surname. The nuns called me Duncan Smith because I was left on the doorstep of the local blacksmith."

"Did they name you Duncan?"

"No. That name was scrawled on a note pinned to the blanket I was wrapped in."

Spike waved his hand impatiently. "So you were an orphan in Scotland. What happened after that?"

"Um… I grew up. When I was old enough, I got a job working for the blacksmith who found me. One night, I was walking home after working late when a beautiful woman called to me from a dark alleyway. I thought she was in trouble, so I followed her down the alley and she killed me, and I just stood there and let her. I couldn't fight her; didn't even want to."

Dawn asked, "How old were you?"

Duncan shrugged. "Twenty-three if I go by the 1920 birth date."

Spike suddenly looked very interested. "What was her name?"

Duncan shook his head. "I don't know, she never told me. She did tell me that she'd been looking for me for a long time and that she was making me for her Dark Prince. I asked her who he was, but all she would say was that he was playing on a funny boat with Daddy."

Spike jerked and Dawn turned to look at him. He started to speak then had to clear his throat and try again. "This was in 1943, correct?"

Duncan nodded. "Yeah."

Spike muttered, "The bleedin' sub."

Dawn sat up and turned to fully face Spike. "What sub? What's he talking about?"

Spike looked at her then looked at Duncan. "Did she say anythin' else? 'Bout Miss Edith or the stars or anythin'?"

Duncan nodded. "Yeah, after I woke up she talked about the stars a lot. How they told her where to find me and that her bad dog was going to need my help in the tunnels under the castle. She said one thing over and over. Made me repeat it back to her dozens of times and that seemed to be the only time she wasn't completely crazy. The rest of the time she babbled about the stars and Miss Edith and Daddy and the sunshine and the green key. She stayed with me for about a week, then one night she just left, said her naughty boy had gone for a swim. Haven't seen her since."

Spike asked in a strangled whisper, "What did she make you repeat?"

"The Warriors, Dark and Light, will join with the Undying Key to fight what will rise from beneath the pyramid."

Spike and Dawn both gasped at the same time and Dawn's face went completely white. Duncan looked at both of them and started getting worried. "What? Do you know what any of that means?"

Spike hugged Dawn to him and said in a quiet voice, "Her name was Drusilla. I don't know what the bits about the castle or pyramid mean, but I'm the Dark Prince and the bad dog."

Dawn wrapped her arms over Spike's. "And I'm The Key."

Duncan looked at Spike. "How do you know who she was?"

Spike sighed, "She's my Sire. Spent over a hundred years with the barmy chit. The Daddy she talks about is Angel, her Sire. You're an Aurelian. Welcome to the family."

Duncan sputtered, "Aurelian? Family? What?

Spike smiled. "You're a fifth generation Aurelian vampire, a descendant of old bat-face, The Master. Angel's our Grandsire." He tilted his head. "You didn't know any of this? Even when you started workin' for the poof?"

Duncan shook his head with a look of bewilderment written across his features. "I'd never even met another vampire until I came to LA, well except for Drusilla."

Spike goggled at Duncan and stuttered, "Never met... Bloody hell! You mean to tell me you've spent over sixty years as a vampire without ever meetin' one of your own kind? How the bleedin' hell did you manage that?"

Duncan smiled sheepishly. "I stayed in my village and kept working for the blacksmith. I told him what had happened to me and he swore to keep my secret and let me stay. When he died, he passed the secret to his son and I worked for him until two months ago."

"What happened two months ago?"

"A lawyer came to the village and found me. He said a seer for his firm in LA sent him to collect me and bring me to California."

"Let me guess, Wolfram and Hart."

Duncan nodded. "I thought he was crazy and I wasn't going to go, but the blacksmith said a dark-haired woman had come to the shop the week I died and told his father this would happen. She said I had to go or some horrible event would destroy the village. So I went. The woman was Drusilla, wasn't she?"

Spike nodded. "Sounds like. So you moved to LA and started workin' for Angel?"

"Not at first. For the first few weeks, I was kept in an apartment with five other vampires who'd been brought to LA for the same reason I was. Then one day, Harmony showed up and gave us all assignments."

"Like what?"

"Moving furniture and washing all the cars in the garage. Then we moved up to carrying documents to places around town. I even got sent to Sacramento to pick something up."

Dawn smiled. "So you came all the way to LA to become a courier? That's all you've done?"

Duncan nodded. "Pretty much, until the thing with Harmony."

"And how did you end up with her?"

Duncan looked like he'd be blushing if he could. Again. "She was uh… teaching me how to drive and things just… uh… happened." He looked at Spike. "She talked about you a lot. She didn't know where you were or if you were even still alive, but she told me that if you ever showed up then I better hope you never found out about us or you'd dust me after you tortured me for days. Then she'd describe all the ways you'd torture me. In detail."

Spike's mouth was hanging open. He closed it with an audible snap then muttered, "And I thought Dru was the barmy one." He shook his head then looked up at Duncan. "So how'd you get blood the whole time you lived in Scotland? You said it was a small village, how'd you keep people from findin' out you were a vampire? You had to have fed on someone."

"Uh… the blacksmith kept pigs for me to feed on."

"So you never drank human blood?"

Duncan shook his head. "I've had human blood. Once in a while, the blacksmith or his son would give me some of theirs, and…"

"You ever kill anyone?"

Duncan hung his head in obvious guilt. "Yeah. The week I spent with Drusilla, I killed four men." He looked up at Spike with pleading eyes. "I didn't want to! She'd look into my eyes and I just couldn't stop myself! She held them and I drained them while they screamed. It was horrible. When she left, I swore I'd never kill another person even if it meant I'd die myself."

Spike shook his head in amazement. "It's called a thrall, Duncan. Dru could control just 'bout anyone by lookin' into their eyes, so you shouldn't feel guilty 'bout killin' those blokes… Wait. You feel guilt?"

Duncan nodded. "Well, yeah. Don't you?"

Spike slowly shook his head as he considered what that statement meant. "No, I don't… well… not as such… I mean… it's hard to explain. I know I've been a right evil bastard durin' my century plus, but I've felt no guilt for the lives I've taken. Killin' is what vampires do… and I've stopped, for the most part, but… I don't feel guilt."

Dawn said so quietly that her words would've gone unnoticed by human ears, "You feel remorse when you cause pain."

Spike hugged her tight. "I feel bad when I hurt **you**, pet, not so much anyone else. I don't have a soul to carry all those feelings. I have William. There's quite a bit of him left in me, but not near enough to carry the guilt of thousands of murders."

She turned to look at him. "You've stopped killing because you wanted to. You stop you from killing, remember?"

He smiled. "Yeah, I stop me, but not because I've suddenly decided it's wrong. I don't have a built-in moral compass, luv. I stop me because I don't want to lose you. You wouldn't be with me if I was still feedin' on innocents, kitten. I do what I do for love. M' love's bitch. Always have been, always will be."

"So how do you feel love, but not guilt?"

He shrugged. "I feel emotions: love, anger, lust, happiness, and the rest, and intellectually, I know right from wrong, but I don't feel guilty if I **do** somethin' wrong. I know it's wrong to steal, but I still nick things from shops and don't feel bad about it. That's all a soul is. Somethin' to carry guilt. Make you feel bad when you do somethin' wrong. I could go next door and drain everybody in the room and not feel a twinge; I still have the urge to kill, the bloodlust, but I control it 'cause I know it'd hurt you and I don't want that."

"So, if you'd figured out a way to get the chip out and knew Buffy was dead and I'd never found you then…"

"I'd probably be somewhere with my fangs buried in some sod's neck. No reason to be good if I've no one to be good **for**, kitten."

Duncan looked from Spike to Dawn. "So, if vampires are supposed to be soulless killing machines then why do I feel guilt?"

Dawn looked wide-eyed at Spike. "Do you think…"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, pet. I think he's still got it, or part of it, anyway."

Duncan looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Got what?"

Spike chuckled, "Little side effect of bein' made by a barmy vamp with the sight. Angel's gonna shit."


	59. Chapter 59 Poxy Little Burg

Not Long to Wait

Ch 59 – Poxy Little Burg

"Peaches! Guess what?"

Angel growled, "What, Spike? I'm a little busy here, so make it quick."

"Oh. Ok. Duncan's my brother and he still has a soul. I'll let you go now, 'cause you're busy n' all. Talk to you later."

They heard the sound of Angel scrabbling for the phone then, "Wait! What? He has a soul? He's your brother? What?"

Spike laughed, "Yeah, Dru made 'im while you and I were on that sub. Apparently she did somethin' a little off, 'cause he feels guilt over the four men he's killed."

"Four? What?"

"Yeah, four. In over sixty years. Four. There's somethin' else, you got a pen?"

They heard a drawer slide open then slam shut. "Yeah. Shoot."

"The Warriors, Dark and Light, will join with the Undying Key to fight what will rise from beneath the pyramid."

There was a pause as Angel wrote it down. "What the hell does that mean?"

"That's what you need to find out. Dru said that to Duncan over and over right after she turned him. We've already figured out that Dawn's the Key and we're guessin' that Duncan and I are the warriors, but the rest of it…"

They heard the sound of Angel tapping something against his desk. "You bleached your hair, didn't you?"

Spike's mouth fell open and he goggled at the phone. "How'd you know that?"

"Dru told me you would. She told me pretty much everything that's happened since Dawn found you."

"When? You said she was dust."

"She is. She told me all this years ago. It didn't make any sense at the time, you know how it is talking to her, but now, looking back over the past few weeks, she nailed it."

"So what's supposed to happen now? What'd she say 'bout Duncan and me?"

"She didn't. She said you needed to meet Duncan and that you'd bleach your hair and that was it. Of course, she didn't say it that plainly, it was all a garbled mess full of stars and dolls and whatever, but once you boil it down…"

"So now I've a brother with a soul and we're supposed to fight somethin' at a pyramid with Dawn. That 'bout the size of it?"

"Possibly, although since it came from Dru, the pyramid reference may not mean an actual pyramid. I'll have my researchers and Willow look for any prophecies having to do with The Key and a souled vampire. You're sure he has his soul?"

"Not entirely, but why else would he feel guilt over four blokes Dru made 'im drain in 1943? And he hasn't killed anyone else in over sixty years."

"Good point."

Dawn spoke up, "I'll call Giles and get him going on this, too."

"Sounds good, Dawn. I'll talk to you guys later."

"Bye, Peaches." Spike flipped the phone closed and tossed it on the bed. "So now what?"

Dawn picked up the phone. "Let me call Giles then we'll get something to eat. I'm starving." Dawn fished her smokes out of her duster and walked out onto the balcony, closing the door behind her.

Duncan looked at Spike. "Who's Giles?"

"Watcher. He's got scads of old, dusty books written in obscure languages that might have somethin' 'bout our little predicament."

"What's a watcher? What does he watch?"

Spike's mouth dropped open again. "What's a… Do you know what a Slayer is?"

Duncan shook his head. "No."

Spike dragged his hand roughly over his face. "Oi! I've a vamp brother that knows nothin' 'bout bein' a vamp!" Spike walked over and sat in the chair next to Duncan. "Tell me what you do know."

Duncan held up his fingers one by one. "I'm immortal. I drink blood to survive. I have a different face. Sunlight, fire, stakes, and losing my head will dust me. I'm stronger and faster than humans. Crosses and holy water can hurt me. That's about it, and I got most of that from the blacksmith."

Spike chuckled, "Well, you've got the basics, I guess. I heard you say you'd read about me." Duncan nodded. "That didn't mention anythin' 'bout Slayers? I've killed two."

"Yeah, but I still don't know what a Slayer **is**. The book I read said you killed one in China and one in New York, but it didn't say why."

Spike leaned back in the chair and took a deep breath. "The Slayer is the thing that goes bump in the night for vampires." Spike cleared his throat and said in his best TV announcer voice, "_In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer._" He chuckled at the look on Duncan's face. "Soon as I found out 'bout 'em, I started seekin' 'em out."

Duncan looked confused. "So one girl is supposed to fight all the vampires and demons in the world?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, but she's not a regular girl. She's as strong and as fast as a Master Vampire. She heals like a vampire and when one dies, another is Called."

"And you've killed two."

"Yeah. The first one, I got lucky. I was still young and didn't fight very well. She gave me this." He pointed to his scarred eyebrow as he got a dreamy look on his face. "Nikki, the second one… oh we danced! It was beautiful."

"Who's the Slayer now?"

Spike chuckled, "Well, actually, there's two. Dawn and a bird named Regina."

Duncan's head whipped around to stare at the door. "Dawn's a Slayer?" He turned back around to look at Spike. "And you said there's two? How can there be two?"

"Dawn was Called after Faith died, then she died and Regina was Called."

Duncan was looking at Spike like he had a little purple alien dancing around on his head. "Dawn… died."

Spike laughed, "I know how it sounds, Dunc. Dawn's not human. She's ancient energy that was made into human form by a bunch of moldy old monks to keep her from bein' used by a Hell God to open a portal to a Hell Dimension."

Apparently the alien on Spike's head just stripped down to its skivvies. "Riiiiigght." Duncan stood and started edging toward the door. He stepped in front of it just as it swung open and the edge caught him right square in the back of the head. His eyes rolled up and he dropped to the floor in a heap with a loud thump.

Dawn spun around and squeaked, "What the hell?" Trevor was standing on the balcony behind her and stared wide-eyed at the lump on the floor then looked up at Spike. His eyes got wider.

Spike laughed as he stood up from his chair and bent over Duncan then lifted him and laid him out on the other bed. "I was tryin' to explain what you are."

Dawn chuckled, "Oh. I can see why he passed out."

Spike grinned at her. "He didn't pass out, pet. You hit 'im with the door."

She smiled. "Whoops. Don't know my own strength, apparently. I was just talking to Trevor." They walked into the room and Dawn pushed the door closed as Spike nodded to Trevor.

Spike looked down at Duncan thoughtfully. "He knows almost nothin' 'bout vampires and absolutely nothin' 'bout Slayers or Watchers and I'd wager nothin' at all 'bout demons."

Dawn frowned. "That could be a pain in the ass, especially if we run into something that needs to be killed and he freaks out." She sat down on the bed and stared at the phone in her hand. "Too bad we don't have something like _How to be a Vampire for Dummies _or…" She looked up at Spike. "When you feed from me, I get your feelings through the bite. Do you get anything from me? You know, besides blood?"

Spike grinned as he stepped in front of her and pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed close then whispered into her hair, "You're brilliant, pet. Bloody brilliant."

She nibbled gently on his neck as her hands slid under his shirt and scratched lightly down his back. "If you're trying to get in my pants by giving me compliments…" He captured her lips in a heated kiss as he ground against her then moaned into her mouth when one of her hands moved between them and gripped him firmly through his jeans. She squeezed slightly as she backed up just enough for her other hand to settle on the buttons. She was about to pop them and reach inside when Trevor cleared his throat.

They stopped and Spike turned his head to look at Trevor as Dawn peeked over his shoulder. She squeezed Spike again, making him close his eyes and moan low in his throat before he hissed, "Not fair, pet!" He took a deep breath and sat down on the bed then adjusted himself and pulled Dawn down onto his lap. She moved against him and he groaned then held her still as he looked over at Trevor. "Evenin', mate. What brings you here?"

Trevor smiled. "Well, since you guys are still here, I was wondering if you'd like to go out for drinks or something. The guys want to meet you and… um… apologize for, you know, trying to kill you and everything. You can bring… um…" He nodded at Duncan. "Who is that, anyway?"

Spike chuckled, "That's my… uh… younger brother. Name's Duncan."

Trevor looked between Spike and Duncan then frowned. "He doesn't look anything like you." He stared at Duncan for a minute then his eyes got wide and he drew in a quick breath. "Oh! He's a Childe of Drusilla! That kind of brother!" He frowned again. "I don't remember reading about any other childer. The only one written of is you."

Spike nodded and laughed. "Yeah, I just found out about 'im a little bit ago."

Dawn shifted on Spike's lap. "Giles thinks he's here because of some prophecy. He told me where the Council wants to send us, too. I was gonna wait to tell you, kind of make it a surprise, but you probably should know now."

Spike groaned, "Let me guess: Some poxy little burg in Iowa full of churches and sturdy, God-fearin' folk with nary a decent pub in sight."

Dawn grinned. "Wow, you're good! But it's Illinois, not Iowa."

Spike growled low in his chest. "Blast the Watcher for sendin' us to a place like that! Bleedin' tosser! He's doin' it just to torment me, I know it!" Dawn giggled at the look of disgust on his face and he scowled at her. "S'not funny, pet! Place like that is gonna drive me completely round the bloody bend!"

She tried to keep a straight face, but the giggles kept coming and finally she burst out laughing, "I'm sorry, Spike. I can't keep this up! We're going to Vegas, not Illinois."


	60. Chapter 60 Rip Your Eyes Out

Not Long to Wait

Ch 60 – Rip Your Eyes Out

Spike broke into a huge grin and his blue eyes twinkled with delight. "Vegas? Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah, Giles says a lot of what Dru said to Duncan has to do with Vegas, so apparently something big is about to go down."

Spike tilted his head as he ran Dru's babbling through his mind then he nodded after a few minutes. "Yeah. The part 'bout the tunnels under the castle and the thing risin' from beneath the pyramid. The Excalibur and the Luxor fit that quite nicely. They're right next to each other, and if I remember correctly, they sit directly over the Hellmouth."

Dawn goggled at him. "You knew there was a Hellmouth in Vegas? And where it is?"

Spike nodded. "Been there quite a few times, luv. Vegas is run by demons, has been since the fifties when the mob was run out. Most of the casino employees are demons. Lot of the entertainers, too."

Dawn smiled. "I always thought Carrot Top was a demon."

Spike laughed, "Actually, he's human. You ever heard of that magician, Criss Angel? Does his bit over to the Luxor?" Dawn nodded and Spike smiled. "Demon. That's how he does all those fancy bits of magic and the levitatin' and whatnot."

"Giles is gonna shit when I tell him you already know everything he just told me."

Spike smirked. "M' not just 'nother pretty face, kitten. Got a brain in here somewhere; even use it from time to time." He leaned close and whispered into her ear, "Although I'm surprised my brain ever works 'round you, pet. Don't get much blood up that way whenever you're near."

She giggled and moved against him, making him groan, then pressed her forehead gently to his and threaded her fingers through his hair, mussing up his carefully gelled curls. "I always knew you were smart, Spike. I kept telling the gang they should use your knowledge instead of just your fists and fangs. I mean, you have been around for like… ever."

Spike grinned then growled, "Not smart to provoke a vampire, luv. You might get bitten."

She pressed her lips to his as her fingers played with the soft hair at the nape of his neck. "I'm looking forward to it. I love it when you bite me."

He nipped at her neck as his hand slid under her skirt and up her leg. Trevor cleared his throat again and Spike looked up at him with amber eyes then smiled as he put his fangs away. "Sorry, mate. Get carried away sometimes." He nuzzled Dawn's neck. "Kinda hard not to with this beauty sittin' on my lap."

Dawn kissed Spike then looked up at Trevor. "So what kind of place are you taking us to?"

Trevor sat down in the chair next to the door. "It's my bar. It's not very big, but we have live music and a dance floor, and all your drinks will be on the house."

Spike smirked. "Free drinks, eh? You have any idea the amount of alcohol I can put away, mate? Vampire constitution and all."

Trevor started to look a little worried as Dawn chuckled, "Don't worry, Trevor. He's not gonna drink that much."

Spike tilted his head. "I'm not?"

Dawn shook her head and whispered in his ear, "Not if you plan to have any fun later. Or during. I can't do much with a passed out vampire." She reached down and gave him a squeeze then jumped up off his lap and headed for the bathroom. She came out holding something behind her back.

Spike looked at her quizzically. "What you got there, pet?"

"A surprise for you, to get you all Spikey again." She pulled her hand out from behind her back and he peered at what she was holding.

He reached out and plucked it from her palm then burst into laughter, "Nail polish?"

She dropped down next to him on the bed and took the small bottle then twisted the lid off and took his hand. She started brushing the polish over his nails as he grinned at her. "You haven't painted my nails since the summer after Buffy died."

She looked up from his hand and smiled. "Well, when she got back you kind of forgot all about me and then you left."

Spike put the hand that wasn't being painted on her knee and said quietly, "I'm sorry for that, pet."

She nodded. "It's ok, Spike. I forgave you for that a long time ago."

Trevor smirked at the two of them. "You used to polish his nails?"

Dawn nodded. "Yeah. He's got this whole punk thing going on and the black fingernails are a big part of it, you know, with the hair and everything. He just wouldn't look like Spike without them." She looked up at Trevor. "You don't seem surprised that we just said someone died and came back."

Trevor shrugged. "I've heard about Buffy. My uncle told me all about how she died and her friend Willow brought her back."

Dawn and Spike looked at each other as they both remembered the night Buffy came back then Dawn shuddered and went back to polishing. She finished one hand and looked up at Spike. "Wave that around so the polish dries." Spike smirked as he waved his hand in the air and Dawn took the other to start polishing. "You have beautiful hands, Spike." She brought his hand up to her lips and gently kissed up one of his fingers then started applying polish. She looked out the corner of her eye at Trevor then whispered so quietly only Spike could hear her. "I love what they do to me, how good they make me feel."

Spike shifted as his pants got a little tighter and Dawn smiled as she finished the last nail and put the lid back on the polish. "Wave that one around, too." He started waving his hand as she got up and headed for the door. "I'm gonna get one of the other bags. Want to look good for my man. Be right back." She opened the door and walked out on the balcony then leapt over the railing. Trevor's eyes got wide as her flying hair disappeared from view.

He turned to Spike. "Your girlfriend just jumped off the balcony."

Spike shrugged. "Bird's a tad impatient. She'll be back shortly."

"She. Jumped. Off. The. Balcony."

Spike nodded then spoke slowly as if talking to a child. "Yes. She's the Slayer. She can do that."

Trevor nodded slowly then looked at Duncan. "You gonna wake him up?"

Spike shook his head. "I'll let 'im lay there a bit longer." He stood and walked into the bathroom then came out a minute later with his hair slicked back again. He smiled as Dawn walked past him with a duffel slung over her shoulder. "You don't need to change, luv. You look delicious just the way you are."

She smiled at him then dropped the bag and pulled out his new leather jacket. "Here. You've got to wear this." He took the jacket from her and dropped it on the bed as she pulled out a blue button down and handed it to him. "This too."

He grinned as he tucked in his t-shirt then slipped the blue shirt on over it and spun in a slow circle. "So?"

She licked her lips as she looked him over. "Yeah, I like. Brings out your eyes." She picked up the bag and walked into the bathroom.

Spike walked over to Duncan and shook him lightly. "Dunc?" Duncan stirred and mumbled then went still. "Oh, c'mon! You weren't hit that bleedin' hard, mate."

Spike shook him again and he opened his eyes and sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. "What happened?"

"You stepped in front of the door just as Dawn opened it. Knocked you cold."

Duncan looked at Spike. "Dawn's not human."

Spike shook his head. "Nope."

"And she died."

"Yep."

"Uh-huh." Duncan looked around and noticed Trevor sitting in the chair then looked at Spike. "Who's he?"

Spike chuckled, "Bloke that tried to dust me earlier."

Duncan looked closely at Trevor then smiled. "He's the guy with the Harley cap. You broke his nose then bit him."

Spike's head tilted. "You saw that fight?"

Duncan nodded and smiled. "Yeah. I've been following you for a few days. I was going to tranq you while you had your fangs buried in his neck, but then you let him go."

Spike chuckled, "Well, thanks for that, mate."

Spike heard the bathroom door open and watched as Duncan's eyes got huge. Spike and Trevor turned to see what he was looking at and Spike's mouth dropped open. Dawn was standing just outside the bathroom door brushing her hair. Their eyes slid slowly over a shimmery silk tank top in a striking midnight blue that stopped just below the swell of her breasts. Then three sets of eyes traveled over the rose tattoo that curled around her belly button and disappeared under a low rise skirt made of the same material. Spike licked his lips as he noticed how the skirt hugged her curves and stopped just above mid-thigh.

She put her brush down then turned to the bag behind her and bent down. Three heads tilted sideways. She straightened up holding a pair of sandals and sat down on the bed then slid her feet into them. She wound the straps up her legs and fastened them just below her knees then stood up and burst out laughing at the three wide-eyed stares.

"You three act like you've never seen a woman put on sandals before."

Spike turned to the other two men and growled loudly as his demon came forward. "Stop lookin' at my girl or I'll rip your bleedin' eyes out and feed 'em to ya!"

Trevor and Duncan both quickly spun around and focused on the door as Spike walked over to Dawn and placed himself between her and the other two men. He wrapped his arms around her possessively as he snarled at the two men still staring at the door. Dawn slipped her hands under the blue shirt and nibbled up his neck. "What's the matter?"

Spike growled against her neck, "You look delicious, kitten. Every bloke in the place is gonna be all over you."

She rubbed her hands slowly over his chest as she nipped along his jaw. "Well, I'm yours, Spike. I don't care how many other guys are there, you're the only one I'm interested in." She pulled back and looked at him. "But you can't threaten every guy that looks at me. Ok?"

He grinned at her. "Can I growl at 'em?"

She laughed, "Yeah, growling is ok." She leaned in and whispered in his ear, "And your growling is damn sexy." She licked up his ear and a growl rumbled through his chest. She backed up and grabbed Spike's jacket then handed it to him. "I'm starving. Let's go."


	61. Chapter 61 Not Stupid

Not Long to Wait

Ch 61 – Not Stupid

Trevor's bar was a medium-sized building on the edge of town, surrounded by dozens of beat up, mud-covered pickup trucks and old, equally beat up, mud-covered cars. Several pickups had guns in racks in the back windows, a lot of them had mud flaps with silhouettes of naked women on them, and a few had hay bales and sacks of feed stacked in the back.

Dawn chuckled, "A bar full of rednecks." She looked at Spike's bleached locks, painted nails, clunky boots, and motorcycle jacket then giggled as she squeezed his leg. "They're gonna love you."

Spike grinned. "Works for me, kitten. Haven't had a decent spot of violence for a while. I could do with a good scrap."

Trevor shook his head. "You're gonna destroy my bar, aren't you?"

Spike shrugged. "Not on purpose. How 'bout this, I'll try not to start anythin' and I'll try to get the sods outside if somebody else starts somethin'."

Trevor smiled and shrugged. "No worries, Spike. That's what insurance is for."

Spike parked next to an old Ford pickup with a missing tailgate and climbed out of the car. He helped Dawn out and they waited for Duncan and Trevor to climb out of the back. Dawn shivered a little in the cool night air and Spike looked at her. "You cold, pet? You're really not wearin' much and you didn't bring a jacket."

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, but I'll be ok once we get inside." She looked at Trevor. "What kind of food do you have in there?"

Trevor smiled. "Regular bar food. Burgers, nachos, wings, you know, stuff like that."

Spike looked up hopefully. "Do you have those onion blossom things?"

Trevor nodded, "Yeah."

Spike grinned and took Dawn's hand. "Let's get some food into you, pet."

Trevor led the way to the door and pulled it open. Raucous laughter and cigarette smoke drifted by as he talked to the bouncer just inside. As they stepped into the crowded room, most of the heads turned to look at Dawn. Spike put his arm around her, pulling her close to his side, and she slid her arm under his jacket then slipped her hand into his back pocket. They made their way across the room to a large table set up in the back near the small stage. Spike held Dawn's chair while she sat then dropped into the chair next to her and glared at everyone who was still staring at her.

Dawn chuckled at all the staring people then leaned into Spike and pulled him into a heated kiss as she stroked his chest and stomach with her nails. They broke apart when she needed to breathe and both turned to smile at the waitress who was standing next to the table, patiently waiting. She smiled at Duncan and asked, "What can I get you?"

He glanced at Spike then smiled at the waitress. "Um… beer, I guess."

Spike nodded. "Beer for me as well, pet, and can you bring me one of those onion things?"

The waitress wrote it down then looked at Dawn. "I'll have an order of nachos and some hot wings."

"To drink, hun?"

"Um, Pepsi for now. Thanks."

The waitress looked at Trevor and he shook his head so she flipped her order book closed and walked over to the bar. A group of banged up guys walked in and Trevor stood and waved them over to the table. One guy had a cast on his arm and one was sporting a hell of a shiner. The third was wearing a neck brace and walking with a cane. They walked slowly up to the table and stopped just out of arm's reach. The one with the cast stuttered, "Uh… Mr. Spike?"

Spike turned to look up at them, "Yeah?"

The one with the cane pointed to himself. "I'm Bobby." He pointed to cast boy. "That's Bill." Shiner boy was next. "And that's Dave. And… um… we're sorry for attacking you."

Spike stood up from the table and the three men jumped back. He chuckled and slipped out of his jacket then hung it on the back of his chair. He turned to the men and smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest. "One thing." They backed up a few more steps and he chuckled again.

Bobby stuttered. "Uh… sir?"

Spike smiled. "Don't call me Mr. or sir. I'm Spike. And as far as attackin' me, looks like you lot got the worst end of the deal, so we're square. No hard feelings." He motioned to Dawn and Duncan. "This here's my lady, Dawn, and that's my brother, Duncan. Why don't you blokes have a seat and get a beer." Spike sat back down and watched with a small smirk on his face as they sat at the far end of the table.

Dawn smirked to herself as she watched them sit, their eyes on Spike the whole time. She looked over at the stage and asked Trevor, "Who's playing tonight? You said something about live music."

Trevor nodded. "It's a band from California called - get this - _Dingoes Ate My Baby_. They're not the usual kind of music we have here, but they've been through here a few times and they're pretty good."

Dawn laughed. "Yeah, I know. I love their stuff."

"You've heard of them?"

Dawn smiled. "You could say that. I'm friends with the guitarist."

Spike nodded toward the door. "Speak of the devil, there's Dog Boy now."

Duncan muttered, "Dog Boy?" as he and Trevor both looked up and watched the spiky haired guitarist walk toward the stage carrying an amp and a guitar case. Dawn jumped up from the table and stepped in front of him then held her arms open. He grinned as he put down the amp and bent to gently deposit the case on the floor then straightened up and wrapped her in a hug. "Hi, Dawn." He looked over at Spike and nodded, "Spike."

Oz heard the low growl rumble through Spike's chest, although it was low enough that he's sure the humans didn't. Spike looked relaxed, but Oz noticed the barely perceptible tension in his shoulders and the slight ticking of a muscle in his jaw. The other vampire at the table looked at Spike quizzically then turned his gaze back to Oz. He sniffed almost imperceptibly and looked back to Spike. Oz squeezed Dawn then let her go and backed up. He tilted his head away from Spike, baring his throat, and Spike nodded slightly at Oz's concession of dominance. His shoulders relaxed and he smiled at Dawn.

Oz turned back to Dawn and smiled, "So, you and Spike, huh?" He could smell the vampire all over her.

She smiled a completely love struck smile and nodded, "Yeah. Finally found him."

"Cool. You here for the show?"

"We didn't know you were playing here; Trevor invited us out for drinks, but it's cool. I haven't heard you in a long time." She turned to the table. "This is Duncan, Spike's brother, and you probably already know Trevor." Oz nodded and she pointed to Trevor's friends. "This is Bill, Bobby, and Dave. They're Trevor's friends." She linked her arm with Oz's. "This is Daniel Osbourne, but everybody calls him Oz."

Oz nodded to everyone then smiled as he picked up the case and the amp. "Well, we've got to get set up. I'll drop back by later." He continued to the stage and Dawn sat back down next to Spike.

Duncan watched Oz walk away then looked at Spike, "That man. I smell… something."

Spike chuckled, "He's a werewolf."

Trevor's head snapped around to look at Spike. "Excuse me, he's a what?"

"Werewolf."

Dawn laughed at the look on Trevor's face. "Don't worry. He went to Tibet or somewhere to learn how to control it and now he only changes when he wants to."

Spike looked at Dawn. "When did you get to be mates with Dog Boy? Thought he buggered off 'fore you showed up."

Dawn shrugged. "I ran into him in LA after the whole Sunnydale thing. I'd go to their shows at this little club not too far from Angel's."

The waitress walked up to the table carrying a tray loaded down with food and started placing dishes and glasses in front of the people seated there. Dawn pushed the plate of wings toward Spike. "Here. I ordered those for you, I know how much you like them."

Spike grinned and picked up a wing, "Ta, pet." He quickly stripped the meat off and dropped the naked bone back onto the plate then closed his eyes and groaned as he chewed. "Mmmm, these are amazin'. Haven't had any in a long time." He looked at Duncan. "You want one, mate?"

Duncan shook his head as he took a sip of his beer, "Don't eat human food."

Spike tilted his head, "Why not? You're drinkin' beer."

Duncan shrugged and said very quietly, "Didn't think they'd have blood here. I'm gonna need to find some in the next day or so. I ran out yesterday."

Spike nodded, "Yeah. We need to talk about that. I've an idea to help with your knowledge of vampires and whatnot." Duncan's eyes flicked to the humans sitting silently at the end of the table and Spike laughed, "They know all 'bout us, mate. No worries."

Dawn was steadily working her way through her plate of nachos and Spike smiled at her as he noticed a bit of cheese dripping down her chin. She scooped it onto her finger then slowly sucked her finger into her mouth. He reached over and slid his hand up her leg then nodded toward the rest of the bar when she looked at him. "You really shouldn't do things like that, kitten. I can smell the arousal rollin' off every bloke in the place."

She smiled at him around her finger then curled her tongue around it and sucked it back in. "What about you? This doing anything for you?"

He growled and leaned into her then took her hand and placed it on the large bulge in his pants as he nibbled on her ear and whispered, "You know it is. I'm 'bout to take you right here at the table."

She grinned as she gave him a not too gentle squeeze. "That could be fun."

Spike swallowed hard then picked up his beer and drained it in a few gulps. He looked around for the waitress, but she was on the other side of the room taking an order from a large group. Dawn stuffed a loaded chip into her mouth then picked up his glass and stood up. "I'll get it." She trailed her fingers over his shoulders as she walked behind his chair and headed for the bar. Spike watched her and shifted in his chair, adjusting himself as his eyes trailed up her legs to where her hair swayed along the top edge of her skirt. She leaned on the bar as she handed the bartender Spike's glass and her hair fell to the side, showing the bare expanse of her back.

Duncan watched her then turned to Spike. "Don't rip out my eyes for saying this, but she's very beautiful."

Spike tore his gaze away from Dawn and smiled at Duncan, "Yeah. She is. And as long as you keep your mitts to yourself, we won't have any problems, mate."

Duncan chuckled, "I may not know much, but I'm not stupid. I can see how much you love her."

Spike got a goofy, lovesick grin on his face as he nodded. "That I do, mate. That I do." He watched Dawn walk back across the bar and growled low in his chest as most of the men and even some of the women stared at her. Duncan chuckled and drank his beer. Dawn set a full glass down in front of Spike and dropped down into her chair then stuffed another chip into her mouth.

She looked up at Duncan and smiled. "Why don't you eat human food?"

He shrugged. "I'm a vampire. We drink blood. We're not supposed to eat normal food."

Spike choked on a bit of onion blossom and looked up at Duncan. "Who told you that rot?"

"The blacksmith."

Spike broke off another piece of the onion and chuckled, "Well, he was a wanker. You're gonna be 'round for a long time, Dunc. Might as well enjoy it." He held out the piece of onion to Duncan. "Here. Try this. It's bloody amazin'."

Duncan took the bit of food and placed it gingerly on his tongue. He rolled it around in his mouth a little then started chewing, his face melting into a look of wonder as he swallowed. "That was delicious! What is that?"

Spike tore off another piece and handed it to him. "It's an onion. How long has it been since you've had food?"

Duncan popped the onion into his mouth and groaned a little as he chewed and swallowed. He pointed to his glass of beer and the onion. "This is the first I've had since I died."

Spike's mouth dropped open then he shook his head and muttered, "Duncan, Duncan, Duncan. Looks like I've my work cut out for me, yeah? Got to teach you to be a proper vampire."

Duncan smiled as he reached over and snagged a wing off Spike's plate. "How are you going to do that?"

Spike grinned as he pulled the plate closer to himself and yelped, "Oi! Get your own!" He stripped another wing and mumbled around the meat, "Pretty much jus' watch me and do what I do." Duncan's eyes flicked to Dawn and Spike growled, "'Cept her."

Duncan stripped his stolen wing and laughed, "I know. Like I said… not stupid."


	62. Chapter 62 Did You Just Growl?

Not Long to Wait

Ch 62 – Did You Just Growl?

Dawn scooped up the last of the cheese and fixings on her plate then leaned back in her chair with a sigh. "Trevor, your nachos are awesome."

Trevor chuckled, "Glad you liked them. You want anything else?"

She shook her head. "Food wise, not right now, think I'm good. I might get a drink, though. Do you make daiquiris here?"

Trevor nodded, "Yeah. What flavor?"

"Um… strawberry, I think."

Trevor started to get up from the table and Spike held up his hand. "I'll get it, mate. You want some wings, Duncan?"

Duncan nodded and held up his beer glass. "Could use more of this, too."

Spike took the glass and grumbled as he stood, "Turnin' into a bleedin' servin' wench."

Dawn reached out and pinched his backside. "Yeah, but you're a really hot wench." Spike grinned at her and she chuckled as she watched him walk over to the bar. He handed the bartender Duncan's glass and laughed at something the bartender said then leaned on the bar and lit a cigarette while he waited for his order.

Duncan was working his way through Spike's plate of wings when he looked up sharply at Dawn. "Did you just… _growl_?" Dawn didn't answer him; she just kept staring across the room as she clenched her hands into fists on the table top.

Duncan turned around with a wing in his hand to see what she was looking at. Spike was leaning on the bar smoking, with a tall, scantily clad woman standing next to him. She was smiling at him and leaned toward him as she spoke, pressing her breasts into his arm. Dawn growled again. Spike shook his head as he took a step away from the woman then seemed to concentrate on watching the bartender make Dawn's drink. The woman leaned toward him and reached up to brush her fingers through his hair. He jerked his head away and scowled at her then took another step away as he turned to face her. He stubbed out his smoke in an ashtray on the bar as she reached out and trailed her fingers down his chest. Spike's hand whipped up and grabbed her hand as her fingers skated across his belly button. He firmly, but gently, placed her hand on the bar and took another step back, shaking his head. He nodded toward Dawn and said in a quiet voice, "Thank you, but I'm not interested. My bird's over there."

The woman barely glanced at Dawn then turned back to Spike and stepped closer to him, leaning up to whisper something in his ear. He scowled and Duncan heard the low angry growl rumble through his chest when her hand dropped between them and cupped him through his jeans. Dawn's chair tipped over with a loud crash as she bolted to her feet and stalked toward the bar. Spike reached out and grasped the woman's arms then pushed her back and held her at arm's length. "I said no, you bint. Now bugger off."

He dropped his hands just as Dawn stepped in front of him. She crossed her arms over her chest and growled at the woman. "Mine. Fuck off."

The woman laughed, "Hey, I was just talking to him. He's allowed to talk to people, right?"

Dawn stepped close to the woman and said in a hard voice, "You didn't just talk to him. You touched part of him that's only mine to touch. Now. Fuck. Off."

The woman glared at her and spat back, "He's not your property, bitch, and I'll do whatever I want." She reached up and pushed Dawn backwards into Spike.

Dawn bounced off his chest and stepped toward the woman with her fists clenched. "Touch him or me again and I'll fuck you up."

The room had gone deathly silent as everyone watched the activity at the bar. Spike stepped around Dawn and placed himself between the women. He turned to face Dawn and took her hands in his, gently unclenching her fists. "Now, pet, I think she's got the message, so let's just get our drinks and we'll sit 'n listen to Dog Boy and his mates, yeah?"

Dawn twined her fingers with his as she nodded and leaned up to kiss him gently. They both turned to face the bar and Spike jumped when the woman reached for him again and squeezed. She leaned against his arm and whispered, "Nice package. You any good with it?"

Dawn snarled, "Oh. No. You. Didn't." She stepped around Spike and fisted her hand in the woman's hair then jerked her backwards and plowed her fist into the woman's nose.

The woman stumbled back as blood poured down her face then screeched, "Bitch!" as her hand flew out and scratched four deep furrows down Dawn's cheek.

Dawn howled with rage and swung her fist out, connecting solidly with the woman's jaw. She flew halfway across the room and landed across three guys, spilling all of them to the floor in a tangled heap. Dawn started toward her but only managed two steps before she was wrapped in Spike's arms and lifted off the floor. She struggled against his steel grip as he whispered into her hair, "It's enough, pet. She's down. You can stop now."

Dawn was hanging limply in Spike's embrace, breathing hard, when the woman staggered to her feet, swaying a little as she turned to face Dawn. She grinned through the blood covering her face and flipped Dawn the bird then started toward her. Dawn renewed her struggles and Spike abruptly turned and headed for the door, shouting over his shoulder, "Duncan! Get that bint out of here 'fore Dawn kills 'er."

Duncan surged to his feet and started toward the bleeding woman as Spike pushed through the door and burst into the parking lot. He carried Dawn around the side of the building and set her on her feet next to the wall then backed up a step and watched her warily in case she going to try to run back into the bar. "You ok, luv?"

She leaned her forehead on the wall and tried to slow her breathing as she shook her head. "No. I'm not even in the same country as ok. If you hadn't taken me out of there, I would've killed her, Spike." She clenched her hands into fists and pounded them on the wall next to her head. "I've never felt such rage before, I'm still feeling it." She turned to face him and the haunted look in her eyes made his breath catch in his throat. "What's happening to me? What have I become? Are these feelings coming from the Slayer part of me or the Key part?"

He stepped close and wrapped his arms around her as she broke into sobs and buried her face against his neck. "I don't know for sure, pet, but I'd guess Slayer. Sounds like your demon is tryin' to take over, but I won't let you do anythin' you'll regret 'til you get it under control."

Her voice was muffled against his neck, "My demon? I have a demon?"

He nodded as he stroked her hair, "Yeah, luv. Slayers are so strong 'cause they're infused with the essence of a demon. That's why you can sense me and I can sense you. Our demons recognize each other. And because you were made from Buffy, you got some of her demon. The Watcher never told you any of this?"

She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight. "No, he didn't. How do you know all this?"

Spike chuckled, "Know your enemy, pet. Once 'Gelus told me 'bout slayers, I learned all I could."

She looked up at him. "Help me, Spike. Help me control it."

He pulled back and looked at her. "We both have demons that need controllin', so we'll help each other, yeah?" She nodded and buried her face in his neck again as her sobs started to taper off.

She snuffled quietly against his neck as he heard the front door of the bar open and Duncan tell someone, "Take her home."

A man answered, "She's hurt!"

Duncan growled, "Then take her to the hospital, but get her out of here or she's going to be a lot more than hurt."

Trevor said in a cold voice, "And when she sobers up, make sure to tell her to keep her damn hands to herself and no means no. Also, she's not allowed back in my bar. I see her here again and I'll have her arrested."

The man snorted, "Oh that's nice, Trev. Take some bitch's side over your own cousin."

"She may be my cousin, but she's also a drunken slut who nearly got herself killed by putting her hands all over someone else's man. Get her some help and get her out of here. Now."

The woman snuffled up some blood and shouted, "Your dad is gonna hear about this, you bastard! You can't throw me out!"

Trevor's voice got colder, "I just did. Now go."

Spike heard two people walking unsteadily across the parking lot and the front door of the bar opened as an engine turned over. Trevor said, "You think we should go check on them?"

Spike said just loud enough for Duncan to hear him, "We're fine. Go back inside, we'll be there shortly."

Duncan said, "No. Spike says they'll be in. Let's go back inside."

The door closed and Dawn stepped back and looked around then looked up at Spike with a tear-stained face. "Who were you talking to?"

He reached out and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. "Duncan. My not so secret admirer's gone, luv. You want to go back in?"

She shook her head and laid it on his shoulder as she slipped her arms under his shirt and pulled him close. "Not yet." She sighed, "You know, I expected there to be a fight today, but I figured it would be you fighting someone, not me."

Spike chuckled, "I imagine there'll be another fight, luv. Have you seen the way some of those blokes are lookin' at you? One of 'em's bound to do somethin' stupid."

She squeezed him tighter. "You're not gonna kill anyone, are you?"

He shook his head. "No, luv. I'll have a good bit of violence and maybe a small snack, but I'll leave 'em breathin."

"I'm sorry, Spike."

He pulled back to look at her. "Sorry for what, kitten?"

"For not letting you handle that woman. It was you she was touching, but it just made me so mad seeing her hands on you. All I could think was _**he's mine**__, _but she's right; you're not my property and I shouldn't try to control who you talk to. You're a grown man and you can talk to whoever you want. I just hope I didn't make you feel like less of a man for taking over like that, you know, having a girl fight your battles."

Spike lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "You're not controllin' me, pet. If you were tryin' to control me, you'd have gone after **me** for talkin' to **her**, not the other way 'round. And I am yours. You're the first woman to ever care enough 'bout me to be jealous of someone else touchin' me. And as far as feelin' like less of a man, pet… you made me feel like I'm important, that I'm worth enough to you that you'd want to fight for me. Yeah, I could've taken care of it, but you made me proud to be your man. You showed everybody in the place how much you love me."

She leaned up and licked lightly across his bottom lip then snaked her arm around his neck as she probed his mouth with her tongue. "I do love you, Spike, and now I want you to love me." She slid her hand down his stomach and popped the buttons of his jeans.

He gasped as she pulled him free, "Now? Aren't you cold, pet? You have goose bumps all down your arms."

She leaned up and licked his ear as she stroked him. "You can probably think of a way to warm me up."

Spike groaned as her hand pumped him slowly and he extended his senses. When he was satisfied there wasn't anyone around, he slid his hands under her shirt and gently caressed her breasts, pinching and rolling the nipples between his fingers. She gasped as he nipped down her neck then pushed her shirt up and took a nipple in his mouth, sucking hard. Her hands flew to his head and tangled through his hair as he moved across to the other breast and bit gently on the nipple then sucked it in.

He dropped to his knees in front of her and pushed her back against the wall, hooking her leg over his shoulder then leaning in as he pushed her skirt up over her hips. He licked at her gently as her hands grasped his hair and she moaned and pulled him closer as he sucked hard and slipped two fingers in. She was panting and thrusting against his mouth when he curled his fingers inside and pressed them into that little bundle of nerves. She fisted her hands in his hair and lifted her other leg over his shoulder then screamed his name as she clenched around his fingers and squeezed his head between her thighs.

She trembled and twitched as he gently slid her legs down his arms and hooked his elbows under her knees then stood and pressed her against the wall. He leaned in and brushed his fangs across her neck then nibbled up to her ear and whispered, "You warm, pet?"

She smiled, "You tell me," then reached down and guided him into her.

He plunged deep and groaned, "Hot, luv. So bloody hot." He started thrusting into her hard and deep as she wound her fingers into his hair and plundered his mouth with her tongue. She broke away to catch her breath and he buried his fangs into her neck as he drove into her, pounding her against the wall. He pulled blood from her neck in time with his thrusts and she started to quiver then clenched and screamed as she held him tight to her neck. He drove in deep one more time then tensed and roared against her neck as he exploded. He pulled more blood as they both trembled and quivered, then slid his fangs out and licked the bite closed.

He rested his head on her shoulder, breathing hard as she caressed the back of his neck and played with the soft hair at the nape. She gently kissed his neck and whispered, "You ok, Spike?"

He lifted his head and smiled at her. "I'm better than ok, luv. I'm brilliant." He set her back on her feet and tugged her skirt down then tucked himself away and buttoned up.

She reached up and tried to smooth down his curls. "I messed up your hair."

He chuckled and slid his hands over his head. "S'ok, luv. You can muss my hair anytime."

She crossed her arms over her chest and shivered a little. "I was nice and warm there for a while, now I'm getting cold again. We should go back inside." She leaned up and kissed him. "Thank you, Spike."

He grinned at her. "Anytime, kitten. Anytime." He wrapped his arm over her shoulders as they started walking around to the front of the building. "Pet? Can I ask you somethin'?"

She looked up at him. "Sure, Spike. What do you want to know?"

"Um… why did you let me restrain you in there? I'm pretty sure you're stronger 'n me, pet… I know you could've gotten loose... so why didn't you?"

She stopped and turned to face him. "Because to get you to let me go, I would've had to hurt you and I won't do that, Spike, not for any reason."


	63. Chapter 63 Have Some Fun

Not Long to Wait

Ch 63 - Have Some Fun

They stepped into the bar to the sound of the band tuning up. Dawn leaned up and gently kissed Spike and when she pulled back, he rubbed his thumb lightly over her bloody cheek. She chuckled, "I know. I'm gonna hit the ladies. Be back in a few." She walked across the bar toward the restrooms and Spike growled low in his chest at all the men staring at her backside as she disappeared down the hallway.

He sucked the blood off his thumb as he walked over to the table and plopped down in his chair then dragged his glass of beer over, picked it up and drained it. He looked around at the empty table and asked, "Where'd everybody go?"

Duncan nodded over his shoulder. "Trevor had some bar business to take care of and I think his friends were nervous about sitting here with a vampire. They kept staring at me like I was about to drain them all. They said something about having to take their medication and left out the side door."

Spike laughed, "Bleedin' gits didn't seem all that nervous when they were tryin' to dust me."

Duncan nodded toward the restrooms as he stuffed another wing into his mouth and mumbled as he was chewing, "How is she?"

Spike looked at the two empty plates sitting in front of Duncan and chuckled, "She's fine, mate. I see you've taken a likin' to hot wings."

Duncan ducked his head and stammered, "Yeah… uh… sorry about eating yours. I'll go get you some more."

Spike shook his head and pushed the rest of the onion blossom toward Duncan. "No worries. I've just fed."

Duncan looked up sharply at Spike. "I thought you didn't kill humans anymore."

Spike smiled. "I don't… usually. I fed from Dawn."

Duncan looked at him with wide eyes. "Aren't you worried about hurting her? Or killing her?"

Spike shook his head. "No. She's immortal, Dunc, and she heals almost instantly, 'sides… she insisted. She likes takin' care of me and I've gotta say, I like lettin' 'er. I'm gonna have you feed from her when we get back to the hotel. I need to clear it with her first, of course, but I don't think she'll mind."

Dawn walked up behind Spike and bent down to pull him into a kiss as she slid her hands down his chest. "Don't think I'll mind what?"

He smiled up at her. "Feeding Duncan."

She looked over at Duncan who was looking between her and Spike with something akin to terror. "No, I don't mind." She leaned down and whispered in Spike's ear, "Will it be like when I fed Angel?"

Spike shook his head and whispered back, "No. He can feed from your arm. Don't know 'im well enough for anythin' more 'n that yet."

She sat down and took a sip of her drink then smiled over at Duncan who still looked frozen with fear. "What's wrong, Duncan?"

He jerked and stammered, "Uh… I don't know if I can do that. I haven't bitten a living thing since… well…. you know… and I don't want to hurt you…" He looked at Spike. "Or have you hurt me for biting your… um… Dawn."

Dawn looked at Spike. "Didn't you tell him?"

Spike nodded with a sigh, "Yeah, I did, pet, but I think he may need a demonstration."

Dawn nodded as she got to her feet and followed Spike around the table. Spike sat down next to Duncan so his back was to the rest of the people in the bar and Dawn stood between them. She held her arm in front of Spike and smiled at Duncan as Spike let the demon out then sank his fangs into Dawn's arm. He pulled a couple mouthfuls then slipped his fangs out and held her arm out for Duncan to see.

Duncan watched the bite heal before his eyes then Dawn picked up a napkin and wiped the blood away to reveal unmarked skin. "See? Good as new. You won't hurt me and Spike won't hurt you. If you're gonna be sticking with us, it's easier for me to feed you than to try and round up blood everywhere we go."

Duncan nodded. "Um… ok… but I'm out of practice with the whole biting thing, so it might take a few times for me to get it right."

Spike's head tilted. "How have you fed this whole time? The pigs? The blacksmith?"

"Uh… they were cut with a knife and the blood drained into a cup. I haven't bitten anything since Drusilla made me kill those men. I don't even change faces when I eat."

Spike got up and returned to his seat then leaned his elbows on the table and looked at Duncan. "Let me see it."

Duncan looked confused. "See what?"

"Your demon. Bring it out."

"Oh. Ok." The planes of Duncan's face shifted as his fangs descended and his eyes changed from green to amber.

Dawn nodded as she sat down next to Spike. "Nice. You're a good looking vamp, Duncan. Very cute."

Spike looked at her and smirked. "It's meant to be terrifying, pet, not cute."

She shrugged. "It would be terrifying to someone who doesn't live with a vampire, you goof. I think both of you are very handsome when you're in game face. Dru, crazy as she was, at least had good taste."

Spike chuckled and looked at Duncan. "Does anythin' feel different?"

Duncan nodded. "Yeah, I can see everything… I don't know… sharper? I guess. And I can smell everyone in here. They all smell like they want to have sex."

Spike burst into laughter. "Yeah, they do, Dunc. They keep lookin' at Dawn. I've been smellin' it since we walked in here."

Dawn smirked at Spike then looked at Duncan. "You can smell everyone, right? Not just the guys?"

Duncan nodded uneasily. "Yes. Everyone."

Dawn elbowed Spike with a chuckle, "Guess I'm not the only one being looked at." She smiled over at Duncan. "I'm here with two hot guys and I bet most of the women here are pretty jealous."

Duncan looked like he'd be blushing again as Spike puffed out his chest and preened just a bit. "Bloody right, pet. Bloody right." He nodded toward the plate of onion blossom. "Bringin' out your demon heightens your senses, Dunc. Take a bite of that onion."

Duncan broke off a piece of onion and popped it into his mouth. "Wow! It's stronger. It was good before, but this is just… wow. Why don't you stay in… what did you call it… game face?" Spike nodded. "Why don't you stay in game face all the time?"

Spike chuckled, "Kinda hard to blend in with the food when you're sportin' fangs, mate. Tends to scare 'em away. The fear does add a nice spice to the blood, though."

Dawn lightly smacked his arm. "Don't be telling him stuff like that. You saw how freaked he was when he told us about the men Dru made him kill. Last thing we need is a wigged out vamp to take care of."

Spike rubbed his arm as he smirked at her. "S' true, pet, but you're right, I don't want another Angel mopin' and broodin' all over the place." He looked at Duncan. "Don't kill anybody, all right? Anybody needs killin', I'll do it."

Duncan grinned around his fangs. "I won't. When does Mr. Angel brood and mope? He seemed happy the few times I talked to him."

Spike shook his head. "Let me guess, you don't know anythin' 'bout Peaches, either."

Duncan shook his head. "Not really. I know he's older than both of us, and he used to be really violent and vicious, and now he runs a law firm and is dating a witch."

Spike sighed, "Ok, first off, stop callin' him Mr. Angel. He's just Angel. He used to be Angelus before he was cursed with a soul. Him, me, Darla, and Dru were the Scourge of Europe back in the day. We cut a bloody swath through that continent, killin' and feedin' and havin' a bloody good time doin' it, then he killed the wrong gypsy girl and her clan cursed 'im with a soul. He's been broody boy ever since, well, except for that one time with Acathla, but that's another story."

Suddenly a loud screeching noise came from the stage and Duncan clapped his hands over his ears. Spike chuckled, "Yeah, your hearin' is better with the demon, too. Might want to put it away 'fore they start playin' or it'll give you a headache after a while."

Trevor walked up to the table and dropped back into his seat then started when he saw Duncan's demon. "Uh… what's going on?"

Duncan shook off the demon and smiled. "Nothing. Spike was just explaining some vampire stuff to me."

Trevor nodded. "Oh." He looked over the table and noticed Spike's beer glass was empty. "You need a refill, Spike?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, I could do with one. Ta, mate."

He lifted his glass and started to hand it to Trevor when Dawn snatched it and stood up. "I'll play serving wench this time." Spike slid his hand over her backside as she walked away and she turned and winked at him then headed for the bar.

Spike reached out and snagged a piece of the onion then leaned back in his chair and watched Dawn as he munched on it. Duncan went to work demolishing what was left of it then frowned at the feral growl that rumbled through Spike's chest and turned to see what he was looking at.

A large man was standing next to Dawn with his hand on her back. He leaned in and whispered something in her ear as his hand slid down toward her skirt. Duncan looked back over at Spike as his growling got louder then he had to smile at what Dawn said to the man. He looked back over at her and settled in to watch the show.

"You know, my boyfriend doesn't like it when other men touch me. He gets testy."

The man looked over his shoulder at Spike who was leaning back in his chair like he didn't have a care in the world.

Dawn turned just enough to look at him and even though he looked relaxed to everyone else in the room, she could see the tension in the set of his shoulders and the tightness of his jaw. He was ready to explode out of that chair and tear the man's head off at the slightest signal from her.

The man laughed, "That little bitty boy? What's he gonna do? You look tougher than him. That was a nice punch earlier." He leaned into her again and breathed against her ear, "With a body like this, you need a real man, darlin', not some little bleached punk. He's wearing nail polish for Christ's sake!" His hand slid around her waist and pulled her against him. She pushed back and his hand tightened on her waist, his fingers digging into her flesh.

She looked over at Spike and smiled. "He's stronger than he looks. And he bites."

The man laughed again, "What is he, a dog?"

Spike breathed against the man's ear, "No, he's a vampire." The man jumped and looked over his shoulder in surprise and Spike snarled, "I believe my lady asked you to remove your hand."

The man let go of Dawn and slowly turned around then smiled down at Spike. He reached out a huge hand and laid it on Spike's chest then pushed him violently backwards. Spike stumbled back a few steps then looked over at Trevor as if to say '_I'm sorry about this.' _Trevor shrugged then nodded and Spike grinned as he stepped forward. He slipped off his blue shirt and handed it to Dawn then fisted his hands in the man's shirt, lifted him, and slammed him down onto a table.

The table collapsed under the man's weight and he crashed to the floor in a pile of splintered wood. Spike jumped away from the flying splinters and waited for the man to get to his feet. He stood up and stomped toward Spike, clenching his hands into fists. Spike held up his hands and smirked. "Woah, mate. Let's take this outside, yeah? I don't wanna destroy Trevor's pub while I'm kickin' your arse."

The man snorted derisively, "Kickin' my ass, little man? Like that's gonna happen. I'm gonna snap you like a twig."

Spike chuckled as he headed for the door, "Well, you'll have to snap me outside then, 'cause that's where I'll be." The bouncer pulled the door open and stood to the side then nodded at Spike.

Spike was almost to the door when the man darted forward and swung a meaty fist at the back of his head. Spike ducked and spun, ending up behind the man as he stumbled forward into empty space. Spike lifted a boot and planted it squarely on the man's backside, propelling him through the door and into the parking lot. The man sprawled to the pavement and rolled to his back as Spike stepped over him and sauntered to a large open area next to the building. The bar patrons poured outside and followed Spike, forming a large circle with Spike standing casually in the middle.

The man got to his feet and pushed angrily through the circle, stopping a few feet from Spike. He clenched his fists and snarled, "Gonna break you into little pieces, then I'm gonna take that hot little number and show her what a real man can do."

Spike tilted his head and smirked. "Really? Give it a go then."

Dawn slipped into Spike's shirt as she elbowed her way into the circle with Duncan following protectively behind her. She smiled over at Spike and waved as the man bellowed and darted forward, swinging his fist wildly. Spike dodged the blow and landed a brutal punch to the man's kidney. He stumbled and slowly turned around, his face red and angry and his breaths puffing out of him in furious bursts.

He advanced on Spike and fisted his hands in Spike's t-shirt, lifting him off the ground and shaking him like a ragdoll. Spike laughed as he drew his leg back and slammed his knee into the man's midsection. He bent over; clumsily dropping Spike back to his feet and Spike slammed his elbow down on the back of the man's neck. He sprawled face down on the ground, sucking wind as his hands scrabbled in the loose gravel scattered over the pavement.

Spike backed up a few steps and looked down at himself then chuckled. "Seem to still be in one piece, mate. You gonna snap me anytime soon? I've beer waitin' inside that I'd like to drink while it's still cold." He bent down to haul the man to his feet then jerked and went to his knees as a loud bang echoed through the cool night air. He slapped his hand to his side just below his ribcage and when he pulled it away, it was covered in blood. He growled loudly as he got to his feet and lifted his shirt to look at the bullet hole.

Dawn rushed into the circle followed closely by Duncan and gasped when she saw the blood pouring out of the wound and soaking into his jeans. "Spike? Jesus, you've been shot!"

Spike chuckled. "Yeah, pet, kinda noticed." He looked around at the people in the circle and snarled when his eyes fell on a tall man holding a gun. "Dirty pool, mate. Bad form and all that." He started toward him then stopped as a dozen or so men stepped into the circle with their fists clenched. He looked over his shoulder at Dawn and Duncan and smiled. "Looks like they all wanna play. You two up for it?"

Dawn nodded and stepped closer to Spike, putting her back to his as she faced the men advancing on them slowly. Duncan looked from Spike to the men and shrugged then turned around and backed up to Spike and Dawn. Spike whispered low to Duncan, "Can you fight, mate?"

Duncan nodded. "Yeah, a little. Probably not as good as you, but I'll do what I can."

Spike grinned. "Right then. Let's have some fun."


	64. Chapter 64 What Email?

Not Long to Wait

Ch 64 – What Email?

"You know how in the movies, the bad guys circle the heroes and attack them one at a time?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah…well… that didn't happen with us; they all attacked at the same time. The guy Spike started out fighting got up and tried to punch him again then got this really scared look on his face when Spike let his demon out. It was hilarious. This huge guy actually squeaked out that Spike was a vampire and I had to turn around just to see the look on Spike's face."

"What was it?"

Dawn laughed, "It so clearly said _Duh! _Then he laughed and said, _Yeah, told you that inside you bloody git._"

Willow burst out laughing. "Hey, pretty good accent! You almost sounded like Spike. How is he?"

"He's ok. You know, aside from the bullet wound and a few broken ribs, he came out of it with only a few bruises and a split lip. He fed from me and healed up in a couple of hours. He was more pissed about the hole in his shirt and the blood on his jeans than he was about being shot in the first place. Said he wished you were here to clean up his jeans. I had to remind him that he's got a few bucks in the bank and can always get more."

"Well, having money is still pretty new to Spike. You should take him shopping and show him how much fun it is."

Dawn laughed, "He's a guy, Wils. They hate to shop."

"Yeah. Good point. How'd Duncan do?"

"Really well, considering he's never really fought before. He took down five or six of them, knocked them cold and he only went into game face when the idiot with the gun shot him in the leg."

"Did you let him feed from you? Was it like with Angel?"

Dawn laughed, "Yeah he fed from me so he'd heal faster, but he bit my arm. Spike said he doesn't know Duncan well enough for anything else yet. We were going to wait until we got back to the hotel, but since he was hurt I fed him at the bar. It took a lot of convincing to get Duncan to even bite me. He was afraid Spike would hurt him if he hurt me, so Spike bit me and let Duncan watch it heal. You should have seen him after he was done feeding from me, he looked totally stoned for twenty minutes or so. It was funny. He kept sitting there saying "Wow" every few minutes. Once he stopped the wowing, he fed from Spike."

"From Spike? Why?"

"Apparently when vampires of the same line feed from each other, they share knowledge and memories. Spike had been trying to explain to Duncan what slayers are and what I am and how to be a vampire and wasn't getting anywhere. Duncan just kept looking at him like he was crazy and it was actually _driving_ Spike crazy. After he fed from Spike, he understood most of it. It's pretty cool. Saved a hell of a lot of time, too. Spike's gonna train him when we get to Vegas so he doesn't get himself dusted when we go up against whatever's down in the Hellmouth. He got a lot of fighting… knowledge… I guess… when he fed from Spike, but he doesn't really know how to use it."

"So how'd you do? Bet you went all Slayer-y on their asses. Did you get hurt?"

Dawn chuckled, "Yeah, you could say that. The doofus with the gun was aiming for Spike and ended up shooting me in the head. Killed me. Again. Spike said I was only down for about ten minutes this time, though. Guess my healing is getting faster. He said my whole body was glowing green until I woke up. Boy, it really freaked people out when I got back up. Half of them ran. Although it could have been the sight of two vampires and a werewolf added to an obviously dead woman coming back to life."

"Werewolf? What werewolf? You never mentioned a werewolf."

"Oh! I forgot to tell you! Dingoes was playing at the bar. Oz saw me get shot and he changed and jumped into the fight. He held off the four people attacking Spike so Spike could go after the guy with the gun before he ended up shooting someone who would actually die from it."

"Oz? Wow. Haven't seen him in like forever. How's he doing? What color is his hair now?"

"He's doing good and it's his regular red. The band is traveling around playing gigs wherever they can and he's having a blast. I told him about you and Angel and he said to tell you congrats and he hopes you're happy."

The smile Willow was wearing came through in her voice. "I am happy. Extremely happy. Like somebody just brought me a truckload of chocolate happy."

Dawn giggled, "Hey, Wils? You happy or something? Cause you sound happy."

Willow laughed, "Yeah. I'm happy. Did Oz get hurt?"

"Nope, didn't even get scratched. Apparently the sight of his wicked sharp teeth and all the snarling and growling was enough to keep people away from him. Or it could have been the fact that he's, you know, a werewolf. Anybody he moved toward would run away. The only thing that got hurt was his clothes when he changed. He had to borrow some of Spike's until he got back to the band's hotel room. Luckily we still had one of our duffels in the trunk. The pants were way too long so he looked kind of funny with them rolled up, but it worked."

"Did Spike kill the guy with the gun?"

"Nope. Nobody died, well, except for me. Oz told me that Spike punched the guy in the head then broke the barrel off the gun and hit him with the pieces. Oz thinks he stuck the barrel in the guy's leg. He told me that Spike kept smacking the guy in the head with the butt of the gun and shouting, _You don't bring a gun to a pub brawl, ya bleedin' tosser._ The ER was probably pretty busy with broken bones, bite marks and blood loss, but everybody was still breathing when we went back inside to listen to the band. You should have seen it. This town only has one ambulance so they loaded a bunch of people in the back of a pickup truck to take them to the hospital."

"Spike broke the gun? Wow. Has he gotten stronger?"

"Yeah, he probably has 'cause he's been feeding from me. Actually he's probably the strongest vampire on the planet, but I think it's mostly 'cause he was pissed. Duncan said Spike roared when I got shot and he'd never heard that much rage coming from anyone or anything. It even scared Oz."

"Oz? Scared? How could you tell?"

Dawn laughed, "I know, right? He told us about it after the show. We all sat around the bar talking until almost six this morning. We barely made it back to the hotel before the sun came up."

"Who's we?"

"Oh, um… me, Spike, Duncan, Oz, Trevor, Bobby, Bill and Dave."

"Who's Bobby, Bill and Dave?"

"Trevor's friends. They're the ones that attacked us the other day. They'd been at the bar earlier but then they left because Duncan was apparently making them nervous. He is a pretty big guy. He's taller than Angel and a little broader in the shoulders. They came back when all the injured people were being loaded into the truck. They're like in awe of Spike. It's pretty cute. He has his own little fan club. They kept asking him questions about stuff he's done and what it's like to be a vampire."

Willow laughed, "And I bet Spike just hated talking about himself all night. It was probably torture for him."

Dawn laughed, "Yeah, right. He was having a blast. I haven't seen him smile and laugh that much in a long time. He got to tell his stories and nobody was glaring at him or bitching at him about how evil he was or telling him that he's a monster. It was nice and I learned a lot about him. I'd like to get him to tell me his whole history so I can write it down or something, he's seen so much."

"Well, I'm glad Spike is happy. He had it pretty rough there for a long time. I still feel bad about not helping him when Buffy was beating him up all the time, but I was caught up in my own stuff, you know, the magicks and Rack and everything. Angel's still having a hard time believing she did all those things, but he said that if she was, then Spike would've just taken it because that's how he is. He thinks he deserves pain. I keep wondering if things would have been different for Spike if I had done something. Maybe he wouldn't have left."

"There's nothing you can do about it now, Wils, so don't stress over it. He's doing good. He isn't so down on himself anymore or thinking that he's a thing and not worth love. Buffy and the stupid chip messed him up pretty bad, but he's coming out of it. Once in a while he'll look like he wants to disagree with me when I tell him I love him, but then he stops and I guess tells himself that I do and he should believe it. It'll take time, but I think he'll be ok."

"Well, time you've got, what with all the immortalness of you two. How are you doing with that?"

"It's weird, Wils. Really weird. I mean, I remember getting shot last night. How bizarre is that? Apparently it blew like half my head off, from what Duncan said. I remember that it hurt like a bitch then everything went black and I woke up with Spike standing over me fighting off like three people and grinning like a maniac, and I had blood and…._stuff_ stuck in my hair. That was gross. Luckily Trevor has an apartment above the bar and he let me take a quick shower."

"So, do you wake up just like you were before you died? I mean, if part of you was… um… removed, then is that part there when you wake up?"

"Yep. Spike said the whole left side of my head was pretty much gone, but when I woke up, it was there. My hair was the same and everything. What's funny is the… I guess… _new… _hair was clean. The blood and stuff was in the rest of my hair and all over my clubbing clothes and Spike's blue shirt. They were soaked. I hated to throw them out, but I guess I can always get more."

Willow burst into laughter, "You know, Dawnie, this has got to be the weirdest conversation I've ever had. Your head was blown to bits and you're upset about your clothes."

Dawn chuckled, "Well, it was my favorite clubbing outfit! But yeah, it is kind of funny. Hmmm, what's more important, brains all over my shirt or the fact that I have brains all over my shirt because they fell out of my blown up head?"

Willow made a gagging sound, "Ew… that's kinda gross, Dawnie. How can you be so… I don't know… cucumbery cool about that? I'd be all with the wiggins."

"I probably should be, but I'm not. I don't know why. I guess it's knowing that no matter what happens to me, I can't die. Kinda feel like a cartoon character. My head gets blown off in one scene and I'm back to normal a few minutes later. I guess it helps the grossness factor to think of it like that. It also kind of helps that Spike didn't get all wigged this time, either. Oz said he roared and knelt beside me for a few seconds then went back to fighting. That's why Oz joined in, 'cause Spike and Duncan were having a hard time keeping all the people away from me. I kept getting stepped on or kicked and it was pissing Spike off even more. If Oz hadn't helped, I think Spike might've started killing people."

"Oh, that would have been all with the badness. The Council would've probably sent a team to stake him if they found out he was killing again. I'm glad Oz was there."

"Yeah, me too. Uh… Wils? Can I ask you something kinda totally off the track?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Um… last night I told Spike I wouldn't hurt him for any reason and… he looked… um… kind of… disappointed. Does he want me to hurt him?"

"Were you talking about physical pain or emotional pain?"

"Physical."

"Well, most vampires enjoy pain to some degree, especially during… um… you know… groiny time."

"Does Angel?"

Dawn could almost see Willow blushing as she stammered, "Yeah… um… he does."

"So, do you like break out whips and chains? I mean, what do you do to him? Oh my god! I'm sorry, Wils. You don't have to answer that! I can't believe I just asked you!"

Willow laughed, "It's ok, Dawnie. I like being able to talk to someone who's in the same situation I am. It's not like I can chat about this kind of stuff with Fred or the other witches. None of them are with vampires."

"So, um… what do you do?"

She stammered just a little, "Um… I bite him or pinch. Sometimes I scratch. Um… we haven't moved up to um… tools… or anything like that, but he told me he'd be ok with it. I guess you should talk to Spike and see what kinds of things he'd want you to do. Angel told me not to do anything that makes me uncomfortable or nervous."

"So how did you find out he liked pain? Did he just tell you over coffee or something?"

Willow giggled, "No… um… one time I got a little… um… carried away and I bit him. He asked me to do it again and I did and we talked about it after."

"So it wasn't awkward or weird or anything?"

"Yeah, it was a little, I was blushing so much I don't think there was any blood anywhere else in my body, but Angel loves me and I love him, so we should be able to talk about anything. You and Spike love each other, and it might be a little with the weird and awkward, but you should still talk to him about it."

"Yeah, I'm just worried; I mean Buffy used to hurt him all the time. Did he like it? Is that what he wants me to do? I don't think I can hurt him like that, Wils. I don't like seeing him in pain as it is and I don't think I could handle it if I was the cause of his pain."

"I don't know, Dawnie. I don't think he'd want you to do anything that you feel wrong doing."

Dawn sighed, "Yeah, I guess I'll just have to ask him. I just don't want him to be disappointed or always wanting something I can't give him. Like you said, we've got nothing but time and I don't want him to be miserable for that long." Dawn's phone beeped in her ear and she pulled it away and looked at the screen. "Uh, Wils? My battery is about dead so I'm gonna have to let you go."

"Ok, talk to you later. Oh! Next time we talk, remind me to ask you about an email you sent me."

"What email?"

"Um… it was a naked pictu…"


	65. Chapter 65 God Save the Queen

Not Long to Wait

Ch 65 – God Save the Queen

Dawn's phone cut off and she flipped it closed then stared at it for a few seconds with her mouth hanging open. She snapped her mouth shut then rushed into the room and started digging furiously through one of the duffel bags. She gave a small cry of victory as she jerked out a power cord and Spike mumbled and rolled over. She searched the walls for an outlet and plugged her phone in then powered it back on, tapping her fingernails impatiently on the table as she waited for it to boot up. She looked over at her sleeping vampire and smiled at the tousled curls peeking out from under the blanket then opened the door and stepped as far outside as the cord would reach. She gently pulled the door shut and dialed Willow.

"Hello?"

"Hi Wils, it's me again."

Willow chuckled, "Thought your phone was dead."

"Um… it is. I dug up the cord and plugged it in. So… naked picture?"

Willow laughed, "Yeah. I got a very naked picture of your vampire in my email. I was like all… woah… and I wondered if you wanted me to send you a naked picture of my vampire. I have some."

Dawn burst out laughing, "No, I think I'll be ok without one. Thanks, though. Wait… you have naked pictures of Angel? Willow! I'm shocked!"

"Well… um… you shouldn't be! Um… I'm an adult… and I can take naked pictures of my amazing hottie boyfriend if I want to! He works a lot, so I need something to look at until I see him again."

Dawn giggled, "Ok, Wils, calm down. I'm just saying that you don't really seem the type, but maybe I'm starting to rub off on you or something, 'cause that's totally something I would do. I don't really have to though, since my amazing hottie boyfriend and I are together pretty much all the time."

"Well… ok. I guess I am starting to do more of what I want to without worrying if people will think I'm _normal."_

Dawn smiled. "Good, Wils. That's good."

"So um… why did you send me a picture of your hottie?"

"Oh. Um… that picture was taken by some girls that were peeking in our window. They sent it to one of Xander's girls and he sent it to me, so it's apparently getting around."

"Xander sent it to you. Our Xander? Xander Harris?"

Dawn laughed. "Yeah. The one and only."

"So exactly how wigged was he?"

"You know, not very. Of course he probably had time to calm down before I called him."

"Dawn, if I tell you something, you have to promise to never mention it to anyone else. Ever."

"Sure, Wils, I promise."

"Xander had a crush on Spike for a long time."

Dawn sputtered, "What? When? He was always so mean to him. I always thought he hated Spike and um… Xan's not gay."

Willow sighed, "Yeah, Xan's been living on that river in Egypt for a long time. Being mean to Spike and letting everyone think he hated him was his way of denying his feelings. That's part of the reason Xan and Anya broke up and why he's still single. He still hasn't figured out what team he's playing for."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"How did you find out?"

Willow chuckled, "Xan and I got a little tipsy one night after Sunnydale and he told me. He wanted to try to find Spike and at least tell him that Buffy was dead, but I thought he was secretly hoping that maybe they could get together. I asked him if that was the reason he wanted to find Spike and he finally admitted it, but then he told me it would never work because Spike's not gay. I thought about telling him that vampires really don't care about the gender of their partner, so it could work, but since we had no idea where Spike was, I decided not to. Thought it might save him some pain."

"Is he still crushing on Spike?"

"No, I don't think so. I think he'd pretty much talked himself out of it that night and he'd never do anything anyway as long as you're with Spike."

Dawn sighed, "So Xan getting that picture was a bigger deal than I thought. Shit, poor Xan. I hope this didn't hurt him too bad. I know how he feels, I mean, I loved Spike for a long time and it just ate me up inside when he was with Buffy."

"Yeah. Maybe I'll call him and see how he's doing. So… um… why did you send me your vampire?"

"I don't know how you got it, Wils, I didn't send it." Dawn thought back and a smile broke out on her face. "Oh my God, Spike must have sent it!"

"Uh… Spike sent me a naked picture of himself? Why? I mean, it's not that I'm not… uh… flattered… I guess… um… I like him and everything, and he's a nice guy and all and he's nice looking, but I don't like him like _that._"

Dawn chuckled, "He didn't mean to, Wils. He was looking at it and he squeezed the phone and pushed some buttons. He must have hit the right buttons to send it to you. Let me look at my sent mail and see if he sent it to anyone else. Hold on a sec." She pulled the phone away from her ear and opened the email then giggled as she saw all the addresses. She put the phone back up to her ear as she tried to stifle the giggles bubbling out. "He sent it to everyone on my contact list that has an email address! Everyone! Oh my God! He is gonna… freak… out."

"Who's on your contact list?"

"Let's see." She put the phone on speaker and started reading off the names, "Angel, Faith… well, don't have to worry about that one… Giles, Xander, you. Guess it's not that many. Has Angel said anything to you?"

Willow laughed, "No, but he hardly ever uses his cell phone. He hates the thing. He's had to replace it twice since we've been back because he can't make it work and ends up throwing it against the wall. Cell phones are very explody when they're thrown by an angry vampire. They end up in little tiny pieces. I cast a sort of protection spell on it so hopefully it won't break the next time he throws it. Besides, I don't even think he knows that it'll get emails. I'll look at it the next time I see him and see if I can just delete it."

"Thanks, Wils. I don't know if Spike would be that upset about Angel seeing it, but you never know. Those two have had some _issues_ in the past and they're kind of getting along and I'd like to keep it that way. So now I just need to worry about Giles. I don't think he's seen it yet or I'm sure he would've called me. Does Giles even know how to work his email?"

Willow giggled, "No, not really. I usually log into it for him and just tell him what he needs to know. Hold on." Dawn heard Willow tapping on a keyboard. "Got it open. He hasn't logged in at all, so I'll just delete it. There. Crisis averted."

"Thanks, Willow. Spike's head probably would've exploded if he knew Giles had seen that. He was freaked out enough that Xander and all his girls did."

"No problem, Dawnie. Angel just walked in so I'll talk to you later."

"Thanks for everything, Wils, and say hi to Peaches for me."

Willow giggled, "I will. Bye." Dawn was about to hang up when Willow spoke, "Hold on a sec, Angel's asking me something." Dawn heard Willow cover the phone on her end and examined her nails while she waited for Willow to come back on the line. "Ok, I'm back."

"What did Angel want?"

"He wants to know when you're leaving for Vegas. He's thinking about coming down to help fight whatever it is."

"We'd planned on leaving tonight around midnight. If we drive straight through, we should be there in about two days. It'll take about four days if we stop and sleep during the day."

"Is Duncan going to ride with you or take the firm's car?"

"He's gonna take the car if that's ok with Angel. Trevor's decided to come with us, and he was gonna ride with Duncan. Spike's car is big, but there's not really enough room for all of us and our stuff. Besides, they get kinda weirded out whenever Spike and I get all… you know… lovey dovey."

Willow chuckled, "Um… yeah… they'd be weirded out most of the time. Angel's nodding, so yeah, Duncan can keep the car. Why's Trevor going?"

"I told you that his uncle's on the Watcher's Council, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, he wants to see what this – fight the demon and save the world from an apocalypse thing – is all about. He's heard about this stuff his whole life, but all he's seen so far is a few vampires and Oz, so he wants to get out in the field and see what all the fuss is about."

Willow giggled, "The fuss. Never heard of an apocalypse referred to as _the fuss._ Think it'll catch on?"

Dawn chuckled, "God, I hope not. _So, how many fusses does this make? _Doesn't really work. Of course, I'm not sure what the plural of apocalypse is either. Um… tell Angel that I'll call when we get to Vegas and check things out. Hopefully it's just some dinky little demon with delusions of grandeur and Spike and I can handle it. If it's actually a world ending thing then I'll call for reinforcements."

"Ok Dawnie, I'll tell him. I've got a bunch of tactical fighting spells memorized, so if it is a world ending thing we will so kick its ass."

Dawn laughed, "Right on, bad-ass Willow! Tell Angel thanks for the car and we'll talk to you guys later."

"Ok, talk to you later."

Dawn leaned on the balcony railing and watched the people moving around in the parking lot for a few minutes then walked back into the room and set her phone on the table by the door. She was three steps away when it beeped. She walked back over and picked it up then flipped it open and opened the text from Willow. '_Angel says to stop calling him Peaches. Or else. LOL.'_

Dawn giggled and closed the phone then turned around and looked at Spike. He'd thrown his arm out and pushed the blankets far enough down that she could see all the way to his belly button. She tilted her head as she looked at him. *_Ok… so he probably likes pain, but how much pain are we talking about? I just don't think I can hurt him very much without getting sick to my stomach.*_

She sat down on the edge of the bed and gently trailed her fingers down his chest, smiling when the muscles twitched slightly. She pulled the blankets off him then sat back and gazed slowly over her vampire. She smiled again when she saw that he wasn't hard. She leaned down for a closer look and he twitched as her breath washed over him.

A voice thick with sleep asked, "See anythin' you like, kitten?'

She looked up at him and smirked as she reached out and gently brushed her fingers over the soft, velvety skin. "Yeah, I see something I like. I think this is the first time I've seen you like this, you know, not hard, well… except for when you were hurt."

Spike chuckled, "Does happen from time to time, pet, although not very often 'round you."

She trailed her fingers slowly up his length and watched as he grew. He moaned low in his throat when she took him in her hand and started slowly stroking, flicking her thumb across the tip. "Isn't that, I don't know… uncomfortable? To have a hard-on all the time?"

"It… ah… can be if I'm wearin' trousers, but it's all right, luv. Not much I can do to stop it anyhow. S' kind of got a mind of its own."

"Um… Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"Um… do you like pain?"

Spike looked down at her hand wrapped around him. "That's not really somethin' you ask a fella while you're holdin' his lad, kitten."

She let go and drew her knees up to her chest then wrapped her arms around them. "Sorry. So, do you?"

He sat up and gently took her chin in his hand. "Where's this comin' from, pet?"

She blushed and tried to duck her head, but his hand on her chin kept her eyes locked with his. "Um… when I told you I wouldn't hurt you last night… you um… looked… disappointed."

"So you've the notion that I'm upset 'cause you won't hurt me?"

She nodded. "Well… yeah. Willow said that vampires enjoy pain and I want you to be happy with me but I don't think I can hurt you very much. I mean, I can tie you up and blindfold you and stuff like that but I don't know if I can cause you pain."

"So that's why you want to know if I like pain."

She nodded and looked up at him. "Yeah, so do you?"

He shrugged. "Depends, luv. I can take pain, Lord knows I've had enough practice, but I don't like torture or when I get the shite pounded out of me…"

"So you didn't like it when Buffy used to beat on you?"

He shook his head. "No, kitten, I didn't. Buffy wasn't poundin' on me 'cause she thought I'd enjoy it, she did it 'cause she wanted to hurt somethin' and I was _**convenient**__._" He spat out the last word like it tasted nasty in his mouth.

"Then why did you let her?"

Spike chuckled bitterly, "Loved 'er, didn't I? Kept thinkin' of that old adage, _you only hurt the one you love. _Thought that if I let her work out her frustrations on me then she'd see that she could count on me stickin' 'round and eventually come to love me."

"So you like pain, just not beatings or torture."

He nodded. "Yeah, I do enjoy some pain in certain situations."

"Like during sex?" Spike nodded and Dawn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "So what do you want me to do?"

Spike scooted close to her and placed a gentle kiss to her lips. "Nothin' you don't want to, luv. I enjoy pain, but I don't need it."

Dawn opened her eyes and looked at him. "But I want you to be happy with me. I want you to get the things you need from this relationship."

Spike pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "I am happy with you, pet."

She shook her head. "Yeah, you could be if you were a regular human man, but you're a vampire. You have different needs and I want to give you the things you need. The main thing I'm worried about is how much pain you like. I can do some things but I don't think I could hurt you very much. I know I couldn't hit you and I don't…"

Spike placed his finger over her lips. "Now who's bein' the stubborn one?" He gently caressed her cheek. "If you're set on doin' this, kitten, then just do what you're comfortable with. Believe me; I'll be fine with anythin' you do."

She gave him a wicked smirk, "Anything?"

He chuckled, "Uh-oh. Looks like I'm in for it now. I see those wheels turnin'. What did you have in mind, luv?"

She smiled coyly at him. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see. First things first, we need a safe word."

Spike sputtered, "What're you plannin' to do to me?"

"Like I said, you'll have to wait and see, but I want a safe word in case it gets too intense and one of us wants to stop. It needs to be something neither of us would normally say, but not something that's going to be hard to remember."

"God save the Queen."

Dawn burst into laughter, "What?"

"God save the Queen."

"You're British, isn't that something you'd actually say?"

Spike smirked. "Not durin' a shag, luv. I've never thought of Her Majesty while I'm shaggin'."

"But won't that make you think of her?"

Spike tilted his head. "Could, I suppose, but I'll burn that bridge when I come to it, pet."

Dawn grinned. "Ok then, God save the Queen it is. Now, I need to gather some supplies. I'm gonna go shopping, so why don't you try to get some more sleep. You're gonna need your strength."

Spike lay back and watched Dawn pull on some clothes while all kinds of erotic thoughts and pictures wandered through his mind. He leaned up on one elbow. "I could go with you, pet."

Dawn walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain far enough to peek out then looked over at him and shook her head. "Sorry baby, the blazing ball of death is still hanging up in the sky. You'd be burned to a crisp before you made it to the car."

Spike tilted his head and smirked. "Baby? Since when do you call me _baby_?"

She blushed. "Well, you have all those cute nicknames for me, just thought I'd try it out. If you don't like it, I'll stop."

He smiled and shook his head. "You can call me whatever you like, kitten."

She grinned at him. "Even Blon…"

He scowled. "No. Anything but that."

She walked over to him and climbed up on the bed then pulled him into a long kiss. "I'll be back soon. Try to get some sleep." She bounced off the bed and walked over to the door then turned and smiled at him as she pulled it open. "Love you."

He grinned back. "Love you too, pet. See you soon."

She pulled the door shut behind her and he heard her leap over the balcony railing. He looked down at himself standing at attention and lay back with a sigh. *_Sleep. Right. Safe word? Supplies? How's she expect me to sleep when I've all these thoughts of what she might do to me runnin' through my mind? That bird's gonna be the death of me.* _He grinned as he folded his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling. *_But what a way to go.*_


	66. Chapter 66 Dust Him

Not Long to Wait

Ch 66 – Dust Him

Dawn wandered slowly through the store looking for things she could use. *_Small town… not much to choose from… have to improvise, I guess._ _Should've taken the shackles when we left my apartment.* _She walked past a rack of silk scarves and pulled six off the display then dropped them into her cart next to the cans of whipped cream and chocolate sauce. *_These'll do, I guess.*_

She looked around for the office supplies department then pushed her cart in that direction. *_Small bag of rubber bands will do to cause a little pain without having to use too much force.* _A shiver ran through her body as she imagined his reaction, how his body would tense up and the sounds of pleasure he'd make. *_God, I hope I'm not wrong about this.*_

She picked up a box of binder clips and took one out then pinched some skin on her forearm and attached the clip. She winced and pulled it off. *_Too painful.* _She noticed a staple remover and grimaced. *_Nope. That would draw blood. Don't think I'm ready for that.* _She briefly considered a small box of push pins then shook her head. *_Nope. Blood again.* _She looked over the wall of office supplies and shook her head. *_Rubber bands will have to do for now.* _She looked at her fingernails and smiled. *_Can always scratch him, I guess.* _She frowned. *_That could draw blood, too.* _She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. *_Don't know if I can do this.*_

She looked down as a mother with two small children in her cart made her way down the aisle. The woman said hello in a pleasant voice and Dawn blushed as she muttered a greeting. Dawn looked at the items in her cart, sure that the woman would know what she planned to use them for. *_God, I feel like such a… what? Slut? Deviant? Perv? Here I am in a family store trying to find things to hurt my boyfriend with. I should be in the dirty little sex shop in the bad part of town. This is too weird.* _Dawn pushed her cart rapidly down the aisle and disappeared into house wares, the blush on her cheeks getting hotter with every step she took.

She stopped in front of a display of brooms and other cleaning implements and laid her arms along the cart handle then bent down and pressed her heated forehead into them. *_I can do this, can't I?* _She took a few deep breaths and imagined Spike lying naked in bed waiting for her to get back.

Her mind's eye traveled from his white tousled curls down to his piercing blue eyes full of love… and lust… then down over his sharp cheekbones, pausing for a moment at his full, soft lips. His tongue darted out and slid over his bottom lip and she gasped as he smirked and curled his tongue behind his teeth in that way that made her knees go all wobbly. Her mind continued its travels over the toned and defined muscles of his chest and stomach, past his large manhood lying nestled in soft, light brown curls, then over the hard muscles of his legs. She tried to imagine red marks marring his creamy, alabaster skin and shuddered. *_It's not wrong to give my boyfriend what he needs, is it?*_

She heard a noise behind her and quickly straightened up. An old woman pulled up beside her in an electric cart and gently laid her hand on Dawn's arm. "You alright, miss?"

Dawn nodded and smiled at the woman. "Yes, thank you. Just felt a little dizzy there for a minute. I'm ok now, though."

The woman withdrew her hand and looked over the items in Dawn's cart then smiled a knowing smile. "Got something special planned with your young man?"

Dawn blushed a deep red and stammered as she looked down at her hands, "Um… yeah." She looked up at the woman. "I hope you don't think I'm a freak or something."

The woman chuckled, "No, dearie, I don't."

Dawn dropped her gaze to her hands again and the words just came pouring out of her. "Um… he likes pain, and I'm trying to find… stuff… to use and I'm feeling really weird about it because I don't know if I can hurt him, you know? And if I find out that I can… or worse, that I **like** hurting him, then what kind of person does that make me?"

The woman patted her arm. "Do you love him?"

Dawn looked up into her kind eyes and smiled. "Yes."

"And you know that pain is something he enjoys?"

"Yes."

"Then giving him that makes you a good partner. My Ernest, God rest him, was the type of man who enjoyed a little pain during our… special time. Mind you, this was back when such things were frowned upon, but I did what I could to satisfy his needs and we were together happily for 52 years."

"Wow."

"Also, dearie, if you find that you enjoy it, that doesn't mean you enjoy hurting him, it means you enjoy it because he does. You like giving him pleasure."

"But isn't it the same thing? I'm hurting him, causing him pain."

"Because he wants you to, dearie. Do you hurt him outside special time?"

Dawn shook her head as she pictured Spike's smiling face and piercing blue eyes. "No, I couldn't."

"Well, there you go. You only cause him pain when it brings him pleasure. That doesn't make you a bad person."

Dawn nodded slowly. "I suppose. Still feels kinda weird, though."

The woman chuckled quietly, "It will the first few times, but when you see how much he enjoys it, it will get easier."

Dawn sighed then squared her shoulders and put on her resolve face. "Ok. I'll try not to feel so wigged about it. He likes pain and I'm going to give him what he likes."

The woman looked over Dawn's cart again and smiled. "Might I make a suggestion?"

Dawn nodded. "Sure."

"Candles. But make sure you get white, unscented candles. Paraffin candles are best."

"Why?"

"Colored or scented candles burn too hot. And have ice handy. Make sure to hold the candle high above his body to give the wax a little time to cool before it hits him. Only drop one or two drops at a time though, or the pain might become too much."

Dawn bent down and gave the woman a hug. "Thank you for the information and a great, big thank you for helping me realize that it's ok."

The woman wrapped her skinny arms around Dawn. "You're welcome, dearie. Just remember that as long as both of you enjoy the things you do during your special time, then it's not wrong."

Dawn let go and straightened up and the woman pointed to something hanging on the display behind her. "You should get that feather duster."

Dawn turned around and pulled a multi-colored feather duster with a black handle off the rack. "I should dust him?" She realized what she'd just said and laughed to herself as she looked it over. *_Dust him. With this. That's funny.*_

The woman laughed, "No. You only need one feather at a time, but it can be quite fun."

Dawn grinned at the woman as she dropped the duster in her cart. "Thanks again. It was really nice talking to you."

The woman smiled. "I hope you have fun with your young man, he's very lucky to have you." She rolled her cart down the aisle and called over her shoulder as she turned the corner, "Candles are in aisle four, dearie."

Dawn called out, "Thanks!" and turned her cart around.


	67. Chapter 67 Bad Luck

Not Long to Wait

Ch 67 – Bad Luck

The sun was low on the horizon when Dawn pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. She drove around to the back and screeched to a halt just before she rear ended a police car with flashing lights. The lot was full of them. A few dozen people were gathered in the parking lot, staring up at the room next to hers. She backed up just a bit and nosed the DeSoto into the space next to Duncan's car then turned it off and climbed out.

She walked over to the group and stopped next to a young woman. "What's going on?"

The woman looked up at her and whispered as she pointed to the room, "Some drunk guy went psycho and trashed that room. The cops have been trying to get him out of there for about half an hour, but he keeps yelling that he has a sun allergy and they can't take him outside or it'll kill him."

_*Sun allergy?* _Dawn closed her eyes and felt for Spike. *_Great. They're after Spike. Why's he next door and why'd he trash the room?*_

The woman leaned close and whispered, "He's been fighting them like a wildcat. One cop just left here in an ambulance a few minutes ago."

Dawn's mouth fell open. "The guy hurt the cop?" *_Geez, Spike! What are you doing?*_

The woman shook her head. "No. One of the other cops accidentally hit him in the head with his nightstick."

Dawn's face screwed into a murderous scowl. "The cops are beating on him?"

The woman nodded. "Yeah, from what we've seen. They keep the door closed most of the time, but I saw one cop hit him in the head a couple times."

Dawn stared up at the room, clenching her fists and digging her nails into her palms. Another cop car pulled into the lot and three men got out wearing flak vests and carrying rifles. One slung his rifle onto his back and pulled a taser from his belt. Dawn rushed over and stopped in front of them, nodding toward the room. "I know the guy you're after. Maybe I could talk to him? Help calm him down or something?" *_Or get into that room and beat the ever lovin' shit out of all the assholes hurting my Spike.*_

The man with the taser looked her over and nodded. "Follow me." The sun dropped below the horizon as he walked over to a man talking on a cell phone and tapped him on the shoulder. "This woman says she knows him. Wants to try to talk him down."

The man closed the phone and turned to Dawn. "You think he'll listen to you?"

Dawn nodded. "Yeah. I do." *_If you bastards have left him conscious, that is.*_

"Let's go." They started for the stairs and the door to the room swung open. Two cops stepped out holding a wobbling, handcuffed Spike between them and started walking along the balcony. He was hopping along on his right leg, holding his left foot up off the ground and wincing whenever it brushed up against the cop on that side. His face was bloody and bruised and one eye was swollen shut. There was a gash across one cheekbone, oozing blood that was dripping off his jaw and soaking into his t-shirt. The cops lifted him roughly and carried him down the stairs then let him hop again once they'd reached the bottom, steering him toward a large van parked behind the gathered people.

The cops with Dawn moved the people back to make a path to the van and Dawn fell in behind Spike, looking him over as he was led to the van. He seemed to be leaning a little to one side and there was blood all over his torn shirt. She could see deep scratches through the holes. *_Broken ribs for sure and what the hell scratched him like that?*_

The crowd fell in behind her and bunched up around the van as the cops lifted him up into the back, pushing him none too gently toward the metal bench that ran along one wall. He hissed in pain as one of the cops forced him to sit and his hands banged against the wall of the van. Dawn waited until the cops had climbed out then started to step up into the van when the cop that had pushed Spike into the wall grabbed her arm, "Hold on there, missy. You can't get in with him. He's dangerous."

Dawn turned to face him, trying to control the impulse to reach out and snap his neck. "Can I just talk to him for a minute before you take him? Please?"

The man looked over at the cop who had been on the phone and he nodded. "Ok, but just for a minute."

"Thanks." *_You fucking sadistic bastard. If there weren't all these people here, I'd have killed you by now.* _Dawn climbed up into the van and sat down next to Spike as the cops turned around and started pushing the people back, telling them to go home. Some of them grumbled, but they started wandering off across the parking lot, leaving only the cops standing behind the van. Dawn gently ran her fingers down Spike's bruised cheek. "What happened? What's wrong with your leg?"

Spike looked up at her blearily and chuckled, "Leg's broke, pet. Dusted five vamps that were playin' with their food."

Dawn leaned close and sniffed. "You don't smell like alcohol, why do they think you're drunk?"

He chuckled again, "Thought it'd be easier to explain the state of the room that way. Can't very well tell 'em it got destroyed in the fight. I'm the only bloke left."

"Why'd they catch you still in there?"

"Passed out after I set m' leg. They busted in just as I was comin' to."

Dawn laughed, "So you kept them busy until the sun went down then went quietly."

Spike nodded his head. "Got it in one, luv. With my leg broke, I couldn't get out and run and I couldn't kill 'em, so I had to let 'em take me." He sighed and leaned back against the wall, being careful not to put any pressure on his hands. "Sometimes bein' good sucks balls, pet."

"So you just let the cops beat on you? You could've fought back, even with a broken leg."

He shook his head. "No. Knew if I hurt any of 'em, I'd be in a lot more trouble, and you'd try to get me out and end up in trouble yourself. I don't exist as far as the law's concerned, but you do. Didn't want to get you bogged down with a pile of legal problems, luv."

"So you took a beating to keep me out of jail?"

He nodded. "Yep. Fought 'em whenever they tried to cuff me or drag me outside, but yeah, I mostly just took it."

She wrapped her arms around him gently and murmured into his neck, "You're a good man, Spike. Don't you ever forget that." She pulled back and looked at him. "You need some blood?"

Spike glanced at the cops standing by the back of the van then turned to Dawn and vamped. "Yeah."

She leaned close and he sank his fangs into her neck. She gasped as the waves of pain hit her through the bite, even though she could tell he was trying to hold it back. *_He's hurt really bad.* _She threaded her fingers into his hair and held him close as he pulled several mouthfuls.

He slid his fangs out and gently licked the bite closed then rested his head on her shoulder. "Sorry for messin' up your plans, kitten."

She gently kissed his neck. "No problem. We've got time. Did you save the food?"

He chuckled against her neck, "Yeah, the birds scarpered just after I kicked the door in. As fast as they were movin', I think they'll be alright."

One of the cops turned around and motioned for Dawn to get out of the van. She gave Spike a quick kiss and whispered, "I'll be there to get you as soon as I can. What name are you going to give them when they book you?"

"William Pratt, I guess. They'll not find any record of me, so it's as good as any. Should tell 'em I'm Rupert."

Dawn giggled, "That would be funny. Well for us, anyway. Don't think he'd like it. I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you too, pet." Dawn helped him as he tipped to the side and lay down on the bench, hissing as she gently lifted then settled his left leg. *_I can't let them take him in. If they find out what he is…*_

Dawn climbed out the back and looked at the name tag of the man who had been on the phone. "What are the charges, Mr. Moore?" *_I'll try talking him out of this first. If that doesn't work then…* _She clenched the hand she was holding behind her back into a tight fist._ *They're not taking Spike anywhere.*_

"It's Lieutenant Moore, and right now, just property destruction and resisting arrest."

Dawn angrily settled her hands on her hips. "He wouldn't have resisted if you had just listened to him. He has a very bad sun allergy and he could've died if you took him out of there while the sun was still up. You didn't have to beat on him; all you had to do was wait a fucking half hour. As soon as the sun went down he stopped resisting, didn't he?"

Moore nodded faintly. "Yeah, I guess he did."

"Are you the one in charge?" Moore nodded again, looking at Dawn warily. "So you can drop the resisting charge? He didn't hurt anyone, did he?"

Moore shook his head. "No, actually he didn't."

"So are you going to drop that?" *_You'd better or I'll fucking drop you like a bad habit.*_

Moore considered for a moment then nodded. "I'll have to talk to the Captain about it, but that still leaves the property destruction."

"Doesn't the owner of the property have to press charges against him for that to stick?"

"Again, I'll have to talk to the Captain, but I'm not sure what you're getting at on this one. He did trash the room."

"I'm not saying he didn't, but if he pays the owner for the damage and the owner declines to press charges then you have to let him go, right?"

Spike chuckled from behind her, "Shoulda been a lawyer, pet."

She turned and smiled at him then turned back to Lt. Moore. "So?"

He shrugged. "I'll talk to the Captain when we get to the station."

"When can I get him out?"

"If he's got charges against him, then not until after he's arraigned in the morning. If the Captain decides to drop all charges, then you can have him in a couple of hours."

_*Yeah, that doesn't work. If they get him to the station and keep him a few hours, he'll heal up and they'll wonder what's going on. I've got to get him out of that van. Time to pull out the big guns, before I have to start breaking people.* _"What's the number for your Captain?"

"Why?"

"I'm going to have my lawyer give him a call."

"Oh. Here." He pulled a business card out of his pocket and handed it to Dawn. "He'll probably want your lawyer to come down to the station, though."

"He's in LA, but if the Captain insists, I'm sure he'd come. He's going to probably need to anyway to file charges."

"Charges?"

"Yeah. Police brutality and attempted murder spring to mind." *_Yeah. Suck on that, you stupid fuck.*_

Moore sputtered as the rest of the cops standing nearby gasped and gaped at her. "What?"

"Your men beat the shit out of him for no reason and tried to drag him outside even after he told you it'd kill him. So yeah. Charges." She looked around at the cops and pointed to one of the men that had escorted Spike to the van. "That one, specifically. I see blood on his nightstick." The man jerked his night stick out of the holster and held it up to the street light. The light glinted off the blood smeared on the end.

Dawn leaned forward and looked at his name tag. "Nelson." She looked at the other cop that had escorted Spike. "And Peters here has blood on his pants." She nodded over her shoulder at Spike. "Wanna bet it belongs to him? Now, if I make a record of his injuries and compare them with those of your men, who do you think is going to have more?"

Moore held up his hands. "Now just wait a minute, young lady. You can't threaten the police."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. "It's not a threat. It's a fact. My lawyer is going to press charges against your department." She nodded at Peters and Nelson. "And those two for sure."

Peters and Nelson looked over at Moore like a couple of deer caught in the headlights. Moore pulled his phone from his pocket. "Hold on. Let me call the Captain." He walked around the side of the van and the other cops followed him.

Dawn smirked as she climbed back up into the van and knelt on the floor next to Spike then reached up to brush her fingers through his hair. "How are you doing?"

He opened the unswollen eye and smirked at her. "I'll be fine, luv. Your blood is goin' to work. With this much damage, might take a little longer, but I should be tip top in a few hours. You really gonna sic Peaches on these sods?"

She shrugged. "I'm hoping that the threat of a lawsuit will get them to let you go, but if it doesn't, then I guess I'll just have to start kicking asses. If they find out what you are, they'll either dust you or ship you off somewhere and I'll never see you again. And I'm here to tell you, that is so not gonna happen. I'll kill every fucking cop in this parking lot before I let them take you anywhere."

"You can't kill 'em, pet. They're human."

She pressed her forehead to his and whispered, "I don't care. They're not taking you. I'll do whatever I have to." She lifted up his shirt and looked at the scratches across his chest and stomach. They'd started to heal, but still looked raw and painful. "What did these?"

"One of the vamps. He was almost as old as me. He's the one broke my leg, too. The rest of 'em were just fledges."

"How did you know they were in there?"

"Heard 'em, pet. The fledges were tauntin' the birds, describin' how they were gonna die while the master laughed. The birds were cryin' and when one of 'em screamed, I didn't think; just pulled on my clothes, grabbed the blanket off the bed and went and kicked the door in."

"And there were five of them?"

"Yeah. Five vamps and three birds. I dusted two fledges right off, but it took a little while to get the other two. Bastards kept runnin' away. The master didn't even join in 'til after the fledges were dust. That's how the room got trashed."

"How did your leg get broken?"

"The master jumped off the bed and landed on it. I was leanin' on the dresser 'cause he'd just kicked me in the head and my leg was at the perfect angle. He was wearin' these bleedin' heavy boots and it just snapped. He fell on top of me and I twisted his head off."

Dawn winced and ran her fingers gently down his leg. "I don't feel any lumps or anything. Was it a clean break?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. Just had to pull it to get the bones to slide back into place so it'd heal proper. Not the first time I've set m' own leg, pet."

Lt. Moore walked around to the back of the van and climbed in. "Sir, I need you to sit up so I can take the cuffs off. You're free to go."

Dawn helped Spike sit up and stood back while Moore unlocked the cuffs. "So that's it?"

Moore nodded as he slid the cuffs into his pocket. "Yeah. As long as he pays for the damage to the room, the owner won't press charges."

"You talked to the owner?"

"No, he's out of town, but the Captain spoke to his son, Trevor." Spike and Dawn smirked at each other. "He'll be by in a little while to collect payment."

Dawn nodded. "Ok. Thank you, Lt. Moore."

Lt. Moore pulled a note pad from his pocket and looked at Spike. "One more thing. I need your name for the report."

Spike smirked. "Rupert Giles."

Lt. Moore wrote it down then looked up again. "Do you have your identification, and based on your accent, your passport?"

Spike shook his head. "No, sir, I don't. I was mugged a week or so ago and my wallet was nicked. If you'll give this young lady your note pad, she can write down my particulars. I'd do it, but one of your fine men broke most of my fingers."

Moore grimaced and threw a dark look over his shoulder at Peters and Nelson then nodded and handed Dawn the note pad. She wrote down Giles' address and phone number in England then handed the pad back to Moore with a smirk. "There you go."

"Thank you. I'll need your name and address, too."

"Dawn Summers and I'm kind of between addresses at the moment. My company is transferring me and I haven't gotten my new address yet. You can use Rupert's."

He wrote down her name then looked at Spike. "Do you need assistance getting to the hospital or wherever you're going?"

Spike shook his head again. "No, thank you. I think I've had enough _assistance _from you lot today. I can get to hospital on my own."

Lt. Moore looked hard at Spike. "You know, sir, you don't seem to be intoxicated."

Spike looked up at him with a smirk. "Funny, innit? Nothin' like gettin' the shite pounded out of you to sober you right up. Waste of good Jack, that was."

Lt. Moore blanched just a bit at that and threw another dark look over his shoulder. "Why did you trash the room?"

Dawn's eyes got wide as she looked at Spike, wondering how he was going to explain. Spike looked up at Lt Moore with an earnest expression. "Saw a program on telly 'bout rock stars. I've always wanted to be one, but since I have no talent, I figured trashin' a hotel room was 'bout as close as I was gonna get."

Lt. Moore just blinked at him then nodded. "Oh."

Dawn looked at Spike, trying to swallow the laughter that was threatening to burst through her lips. "Can you walk, rock star?"

He turned to look at her with a smirk then shook his head. "Not without help."

_*I could carry him up to the room, but that would look weird and probably cause him a lot of pain.* _"I'll get Duncan. Hold on a sec." Dawn jumped out of the van and jogged over to Duncan's door.

He opened it just as she was about to knock. "Hi, Dawn. Are we leaving already?"

"No. Come with me. Just play along and don't talk and I'll fill you in later."

"Ok." He followed her over to the van and gasped when he saw Spike but didn't say anything.

Dawn pulled Spike to his feet and looked at Duncan. "Stand on his left side, that leg's broken."

She heard Moore whisper loudly to his men, "You broke his fucking leg?"

She looked up at them just as they shrugged and looked at each other with bewildered expressions. Dawn stood on Spike's right side and gently lifted his arm over her shoulders then said to Duncan, "Be careful moving him, he's got a few broken ribs, too."

She smiled as she heard Moore hiss, "You two are in so much fucking trouble it's not even close to funny. Get the rest of the idiots that were up there in that room and report to my office. Now."

Duncan nodded and hooked his arm under Spike's because he was too tall for Spike to be comfortable with his arm over Duncan's shoulders. Dawn steered them to Duncan's room as they made their way slowly out of the van and across the parking lot. "I don't want to try the stairs, so we'll just lay him down in your room until I get our stuff packed, then we're getting the hell out of here."

Spike muttered, "I'll be fine, pet. We can go upstairs."

Dawn looked over at him as they stood waiting for Duncan to unlock his door. "No. You're in too much pain. I want you to rest so you can heal." She sighed, "You know, since I found you, you've been kidnapped and tortured, shot with a poisoned crossbow bolt, almost gave yourself alcohol poisoning, tried to dust yourself, got in a bar fight and got shot with a gun, and now you've been beaten up. Again. I'm starting to think I'm bad luck. You've gone through so much pain because of me."

Spike chuckled, "None of that is your fault, pet. I've been gettin' pummeled and whatnot my entire unlife. The Ranch thing would've happened whether you were there or not and you actually saved me on that one. And as far as the pub fight and today, I've been scrappin' since I was turned, pet. Love to fight. Don't much care for the healin' up afterwards, but that's part of it. At least with your blood, it doesn't take as long as it used to." He groaned as they laid him gently on the bed. "And vampires can't get alcohol poisoning, luv."

She sat down next to him and gently laid her hand on his stomach. "What about Riley and trying to dust yourself? Those wouldn't have happened if I wasn't here."

He took her hand and wrapped his around it as best he could. "No, but you bein' here was worth it, luv. I'd take havin' you with me over never bein' in pain again any day. Like I said before, I can take pain. I can't take existin' without you."


	68. Chapter 68 Pancakes

Not Long to Wait

Ch 68 - Pancakes

Dawn shoved the last duffel into the trunk and slammed it closed then took the stairs two at a time and walked slowly around the room, checking for missed items. Satisfied that she'd gotten everything, she picked up two pillows and Spike's electric blanket then left the key on the dresser and headed back to the car. She put the pillows and blanket in the back window next to Spike's duster and walked into Duncan's room. He was stuffing clothes into a backpack while he watched Spike.

She looked over Spike's still form lying on the bed and frowned at the blood covering his face. "How's he doing?"

Duncan zipped up the backpack then turned to look at her. "He hasn't moved since you left."

Spike muttered with his eyes still closed, "He's doin' fine. Just restin'. You two can stop worryin' 'bout me, I'll live… after a fashion."

Dawn sat down next to him and lifted his hand, looking at his fingers. "I'm not gonna stop worrying about you, so just forget that. How do you feel?"

He opened one eye and peeked at her. "Leg and ribs are still screamin', but my fingers feel ok. How do I look?"

"Bloody. Let me go get something to clean you up." She got up and went into the bathroom, returning a moment later carrying three wet washcloths. She sat back down and started gently wiping the blood off Spike's face and neck then lifted his shirt and wiped down his chest and stomach. "Roll over and let me get your back. The scratches on your front look a lot better."

Spike sat up carefully and stripped his tattered shirt off then tossed it at Duncan and rolled to his stomach. "Bin that, would ya, mate?"

Duncan dropped the shirt into the trash can and picked up his backpack. "I'm going to load the car. Be back in a minute."

Dawn nodded at him as she wiped the blood from Spike's back. "The scratches back here are looking better, too. Want me to check your legs?"

Spike shrugged then winced, "Up to you, pet."

"Well, roll back over and let me look."

Spike chuckled as he rolled over, "M' not a pancake, pet. Can't keep flippin' me."

Dawn smiled and trailed her fingers along his chest, careful to avoid the raw, damaged skin. "Mmmm, licking syrup off a tasty pancake. I could go for that."

Spike grinned lecherously, "All right, luv. I'm your pancake. Got any syrup?"

She giggled, "Not right now, but I could get some later." She got up and gently pulled his boots off then tugged his jeans off and looked at his leg. It was badly bruised at the break site, but the skin was whole and it wasn't misshapen. She gently prodded it with her fingers and grimaced when he hissed. "Sorry. Just checking to see how it's healing. Looks like you did a good job setting it. How'd you get the right leverage to pull the bones apart on your lower leg?"

"Hooked my knee 'round the desk leg then pulled against that. Took almost everythin' I had to keep the pressure steady with my ribs n' all."

Dawn pictured him sitting on the floor pulling on his leg and imagined the bones grinding against each other then shuddered, "Damn, Spike, you are one tough vampire. I don't think I could have done something like that to myself."

Spike shrugged and winced again, "Like I said, luv. Not the first time." He looked up at her and smirked. "You really gonna let those bobbies take the blame for all my injuries? The vamps did most of the damage."

She nodded. "Hell yes, I'm going to. They had no call to beat on you the way they did. Breaking your fingers? What the hell was that about? I doubt much will happen to them anyway. They'll get yelled at by Lt. Moore and probably the Captain and that'll be it, but maybe they'll stop to think about it before they start beating on someone else."

"You should call Rupes and let him know he almost got pinched for trashin' a hotel room."

Dawn giggled, "That's going to be an interesting conversation. I'm glad he's waaaay over there in England so I don't have to deal with the reproachful looks and the glasses polishing as he sighs over my life choices."

The door opened and Duncan took two steps into the room then stopped and stammered as he looked at the floor, "Oh… uh… sorry. Didn't know you were… um… busy."

Spike laughed, "M' not busy, Dunc. Dawn was just lookin' me over to see how I'm healin'. Trevor show up yet?"

"Yeah, I'm right… here." He stopped and looked at Spike then turned around.

Dawn burst into laughter, "What is wrong with you two? You're both guys for Christ's sake! Why does seeing Spike naked embarrass you so much? You know, if you're going to be hanging with us, you might want to get used to it. He's naked a lot."

Spike sat up and scooted up to the headboard then leaned against it and pulled the blankets over himself. "There. I'm decent. You two can have a seat. How much do I owe you for the room, Trevor?"

Trevor turned around and sat in the chair closest to the bed. "Nothing. I went up there and looked at it and saw all the dust. How many vampires were there?"

"Five. Won't your Da be upset that I didn't pay for it? I have a few bob, you know. I can afford it."

"Nope. I talked to him after I checked it out. He said that it's not your fault the room got trashed so you don't owe him a thing. I'm guessing you went in there to save someone?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, three birds. They got away clean and didn't look too damaged."

Dawn looked at Trevor. "So, do the cops in this town always beat people up for no reason?"

Trevor nodded and shrugged. "Yeah, they're a little power crazed. Small town and everything. Spike's not the first person they've done that to. The Captain told me you threatened them with your _fancy LA lawyer_. I think this is the first time anybody's ever called them on it."

"Should I have Angel's firm file charges?"

Trevor shrugged. "Up to you, but you'd have to come back here for the hearing or whatever."

Dawn shook her head. "No offense, Trevor, but once we get out of here; if I never see this place again it'll be too soon."

Trevor smiled. "No offense taken. I grew up here and own a good chunk of it and I'm just as eager to get gone as you are. Speaking of which, we about ready? My stuff is in the car."

Spike nodded and started to throw the blankets off. "I'm ready."

Dawn laughed and held the blankets down. "You're naked, you dork! That's just what we need; for you to get arrested for indecent exposure! Let me go get you some clothes out of the car and I'd like you to feed again before we leave."

Spike nodded and leaned back against the headboard with a leer on his face. "Whatever you say, pet."

Dawn got up and snagged Spike's bloody jeans then started for the door. "Duncan, you and Trevor could go get some coffee or something if you want and I'll text you when we're ready to go."

Trevor shrugged. "I'm fine. I can wait right here. I've seen Spike feed before."

Duncan nodded. "Yeah. I don't need anything either."

Dawn stopped and chewed on her bottom lip. "Um… could you guys go do something for a little while?"

Trevor looked up at her. "Not really anything to do here."

Spike laughed, "She's tryin' to get you lot out of here 'cause we're 'bout to shag, but if you two want to stick 'round and watch, 's fine by me."

Trevor and Duncan jumped to their feet like their chairs had just caught fire and headed for the door. Duncan snatched his phone off the table on his way out and called over his shoulder, "We won't come back until you text. See you later!"

Dawn giggled as she followed them out. She came back a few minutes later carrying fresh jeans and a shirt, dropped them in the chair and walked over to the bed. Spike had already thrown the blankets off and was lying there smirking at her. "We are gonna shag, right?"

She smiled as she crawled up the bed. "Kinda have to now, don't we? Don't want to make a liar out of you."

Spike stuck his bottom lip out and gave Dawn his best pout, "Well, if you don't want to…"

She straddled him and snaked her fingers into his hair as she nibbled gently on that lip. "No. I want to. Always want to, baby."

Spike growled low in his chest as she nibbled across to his ear and sucked on his earlobe. She ground against him as she nipped down his neck and bit gently on his shoulder. He slid his hands under her shirt and started to lift it up but she sat up and stilled his hands, settling them on her waist. He looked up at her, confused. "What's wrong, kitten?"

"Nothing's wrong. This one's for you. I want to make you feel good 'cause you're in massive amounts of pain because of me. Again. So just lie back and let me. Please?"

He tightened his grip on her waist. "It's not your fault, pet. You didn't make me go next door and get into a scrap; I did that all on my own."

She reached up and gently brushed her fingers through his hair. "Tell me something. If we weren't together and you were chipless and found a bunch of vampires like that, would you dust them or join in?"

He looked down at the bed for a minute with a frown on his face then looked back up at her with a sigh. "I would probably take over and the lot of us would eat everybody in this hotel."

"See? You got hurt because of me. Because you're trying to be good for me."

He quirked an eyebrow and gave her a crooked grin. "So you don't want me to be good? 'Cause there's a bunch of bleedin' noisy sods in the room below ours that I wouldn't mind eatin'."

She smiled at that and shook her head. "No, I do want you to be good and you're doing a really good job at it, I just feel guilty because it keeps getting you hurt. You've been banged up or in some kind of pain since I found you." She dropped her gaze to his chest. "Even before that. Glory hurt you because of me."

He took her face in his hands and brought her down for a soft kiss. "None of it is your fault, kitten. Not one bloody bit. I'll tattoo it on my bloody forehead if that's what it takes to get you to believe it and stop feelin' guilty. Especially 'bout Glory. I'm glad it was me she nicked, pet. What if it'd been Harris or Red or the Watcher? They wouldn't have survived. I want to be with you, whatever happens. It's worth it. You're worth it. So please stop worryin' about it."

She pressed her forehead to his and took a deep breath. "I'll try, Spike, I really will, but let me do this now, please? It'll make me feel better, and you too, I hope."

He slid his hands down her arms and twined their fingers together. "I'm all yours, luv. Do with me what you will."

She smiled then whispered, "Close your eyes," as she trailed her fingers up his arms. She slid them into his hair and leaned down to lightly brush her lips across his. He opened his mouth and she deepened the kiss, probing his mouth with her tongue as she pulled him close and ground against him. She licked and nibbled down his neck, biting lightly where his pulse would be then nipped gently on his collarbone. He moaned when her mouth found his nipple. She circled it with her tongue then pulled it into her mouth and bit gently. He arched toward her just a little, so she bit harder. His sharp intake of breath was a hiss and her head whipped up to look at him. "Did I hurt you?"

He looked down at her with hooded eyes and curled his tongue behind his teeth. "Yeah, luv. Do it again."

She smiled and moved to the other nipple, licking and sucking before she pulled it into her mouth and bit down. A rush of warmth bloomed through her as he hissed again and fisted his hands in the sheets. She moved down his stomach, licking and biting and smiled every time he hissed or groaned or clenched his hands. When she reached the soft hair below his belly button, she sat up and looked down at him. The healing scratches on his chest and stomach were interspersed with bright red bite marks and he was leaning against the headboard with his eyes closed and his hands tangled in the sheets.

He cracked one eye open. "Somethin' wrong, kitten?"

She moved off him, shaking her head. "Nope. Not a thing." She moved his legs gently, careful not to bump the broken one, then knelt between them and took him in her hand, stroking slowly. He moaned and his eye fell closed when she leaned down and licked slowly up his length then took him in her mouth. She took him as deep as she could on each stroke and swallowed around him until he was panting and thrusting his hips upward with his fingers tangled in her hair.

"God, luv. That feels so good."

She lifted her head and smiled at him. "It's about to feel even better, baby." She raised her hand to his mouth and slipped two fingers between his lips as she dropped her head and took him deep into her throat. He moaned around her fingers and sucked at them greedily, sliding his tongue around and between them. She raised her head again as she removed her fingers from his mouth and brought them down between his legs. She pushed in, stroking slowly across the little bundle of nerves as he threw his head back against the wall and tightened his grip on her hair.

She lowered her head and sucked him in deep as he growled, "Harder, pet." She moved her fingers faster and deeper as she scraped her teeth up his length then plunged back down, sucking hard. She felt him tense then he was roaring as he thrust up and exploded deep in her throat. She stroked a few more times as he quivered and twitched then his entire body went limp. She licked him clean then raised her head and looked at him slumped against the headboard with a completely satisfied look on his face. The bite marks were already fading and he was tilted to the side just a bit in what looked like a very uncomfortable position for someone with broken ribs.

She got to her feet beside the bed and gently straightened his legs then dragged him down so he was lying flat. She pulled the blankets over him and leaned down to give him a soft kiss. "I love you, Spike."

He murmured something unintelligible and rolled to his stomach, wincing slightly when his leg moved. She smiled and brushed her fingers through his tousled curls then walked over to the door. She turned back to look at him and whispered, "Have a nice nap, baby."


	69. Chapter 69 One Track Mind

Not Long to Wait

Ch 69 – One Track Mind

Duncan looked at his phone again as they walked back toward his room. Trevor quirked an eyebrow and Duncan shook his head. "Nothing yet."

They stopped in front of the room and Duncan shifted nervously from foot to foot as he heard Spike's moans and growls coming from inside. Trevor sat down on the hood of Duncan's car and smirked. "So, what memories did you get from Spike? Any good ones?" He nodded his head toward the room.

Duncan dropped his gaze to the sidewalk and shuffled over to sit next to Trevor. "There's a few in there, yeah, but nothing with Dawn. I mostly saw Drusilla and some little blonde woman, but the blonde was usually just punching him, even when they were… um… "

Trevor chuckled, "Her name's Buffy. She's Dawn's older sister."

Suddenly Spike roared and their heads whipped up to stare at the room door then they turned to each other with a smirk and started laughing. Trevor whispered, "That didn't sound like an angry roar."

Duncan shook his head. "Nope. Looks like Spike found something he likes better than fighting, and he likes that a lot. That's what most of his memories were. Fighting humans or demons or Buffy."

"So he didn't let you see any memories of Dawn?"

"No… I mean, I saw her when she was younger, but nothing now. I guess he held those back. Understandable, I guess. Since I'm going to be working with them, it would be really awkward for me to have those kinds of memories. Drusilla and Buffy are both dead, so he must not have cared if I saw that."

The room door opened and Dawn stepped out. "Saw what?"

Duncan looked like he'd be blushing if he was able. "Uh… memories of Spike and… uh… Buffy and uh… Drusilla."

Dawn smirked. "So he showed you those, huh?" Duncan nodded as Dawn stepped in front of him. "He didn't show you any of me, did he?"

Duncan looked up and shook his head. "Oh, no ma'am. I saw you when you were younger, but that's it."

Dawn chuckled, "Ma'am? Duncan, you're like sixty years older than me… well, not technically, I guess, but please don't call me ma'am."

Duncan smiled. "Sorry. So is Spike ready to go?"

Dawn shook her head and blushed just a little. "Uh… no. He's actually… kind of… unconscious."

Trevor chuckled, "Yeah, we heard. So… we waiting for a while then?"

Dawn smiled and blushed just a little more. "Yeah. He still needs to feed, too. We got kind of… distracted." She lifted her arm to Duncan. "You should eat before we leave. Once we get on the road, I don't want to stop until it's almost daylight and I don't think Trevor wants to be vamp chow."

Trevor laughed as Duncan nodded and took her arm then let his demon out. He bit gently and pulled several mouthfuls then slid his fangs out and licked the bite closed like Spike had told him to. "Thanks." He weaved a little and put his hands down on the hood to steady himself.

Dawn chuckled, "Still pretty strong, huh?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Not as bad as last time, though. I don't feel quite so dizzy."

"You'll get used to it. It's making you stronger, too. You and Spike are going to be the two strongest vampires on the planet. Once he gets you trained up, the three of us will be an unstoppable force."

Trevor smirked. "Good thing you guys are on our side. I'd hate to have to go up against you. How's Spike healing?"

"Good. Injuries that bad would have taken almost a week to heal before he started feeding from me. Now he should be good to go in another hour or so."

Trevor's pocket started ringing and he dug his phone out, frowning when he looked at the screen. "It's the police Captain. Wonder what he wants?" He flipped the phone open and put it on speaker. "Hello, Captain Matthews. What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Trevor. I'm calling to see if the man that trashed the hotel room has paid you yet."

"Yeah, he did. In cash. Why?"

"Shit. Um… the information he gave us is bogus and I'm going to send some men out to pick him up. I was hoping he was still waiting for you to show up so he'd be an easy take down. Do you know if he's left the area yet?"

"No, I can go check his room, but I don't know what he's driving, so I don't know if he's still here or not. He was in pretty bad shape when I saw him. A woman with him asked me where the hospital was. How'd you find out about the bogus info?"

"He told us his name was Rupert Giles and gave Moore a number in England. I called the number to leave a message expressing my apologies for his injuries and the actual Mr. Giles answered the phone. He had no idea who I was talking about when I gave him the description so we have no idea who this character actually is."

"You want me to check his room?"

"No. I don't need you involved. We're considering him armed and dangerous until we know different. Do you know anything about the woman or the other man that helped him?"

"No. Didn't you get their names?"

"The woman's we did, and we found information on her, but most of it ends some years ago in a town called Sunnydale, California. There was some kind of earthquake about the same time and we haven't been able to find anything since but a driver's license listing a Los Angeles address. Of course that address is bogus too; it's a damn law firm. We never got the other man's name, but Moore said the woman called him Duncan. I checked with the front desk and his room is registered to the same damn law firm in Los Angeles."

"You sure you don't want me to run up and see if he's still here? I'm at the hotel. Don't think he'd have gotten very far in the shape he was in, though. Your guys really did a number on him."

The Captain sighed, "Yeah. I heard about it. Believe me, there will be repercussions for the officers involved. The last thing this town needs is to end up on the national news because of this. Don't go up to his room. I'll get the men together and we'll be there in about fifteen minutes. If you see him before we get there, don't do anything to try to stop him, just let me know which way he went when we get there."

"Sure, Cap. Will do. Talk to you later." Trevor flipped the phone closed and stood up. "We need to go. Now."

Dawn jerked open the back door of the DeSoto then followed Duncan and Trevor into the room where Spike was still passed out on his stomach. Dawn shook him gently and he mumbled but didn't wake up. She rolled him onto his back and was about to pick him up when Duncan stepped up beside her. "Let me."

She looked up at him and smiled. "I can carry him, Duncan."

He smirked. "I know you can, but getting him into the car without hurting him is going to take two people. I'll carry him if you'll crawl into the back seat and take him from me. I won't fit in the car very well."

Dawn nodded. "Oh. Ok." She scooped up Spike's clothes and boots and headed out to the car while Duncan wrapped Spike tightly in the blanket and picked him up.

Spike groaned and his eyes fluttered open then he yelped and started struggling. "Oi! Put me down, ya wanker! What the bloody hell are you playin' at? Where's Dawn?"

Duncan tightened his grip and growled, "Just be still. The police are on their way back to get you and we have to get out of here now. Dawn will explain, just let me get you in the damn car."

Spike stopped struggling and looked up at Duncan. "All right, mate." He looked down at himself wrapped in the blanket and smirked. "Just don't get used to totin' me 'round like a babe. I may enjoy a lot of things, but this isn't one of 'em."

Duncan chuckled, "Don't worry about that. Hopefully this is a onetime deal." He carried Spike to the DeSoto's open door and Dawn took his shoulders then they slid him as gently as they could onto the back seat.

She pulled him up against the door and arranged the pillows behind him then gently settled his legs so Duncan could shut the door. She gave him a quick kiss then climbed over the front seat and out through the driver's door. She poked her head back in and said, "Be back in a minute. Don't move."

Spike chuckled, "M' wrapped up like a soddin' burrito, pet. Don't think I'm goin' anywhere."

Dawn smiled then stood and turned to Trevor. "Which direction will they be coming from?"

Trevor pointed toward the front of the hotel. "The station's over that way."

"Can we get out of town going the other way?"

Trevor shook his head. "No. Just follow me. I'll get us out of here without them seeing us." He climbed into the driver's seat of Duncan's car and started the engine with a roar.

Duncan smirked and climbed into the passenger seat. "Good thing Angel's not here. He specifically told me not to let anyone else drive this car. Especially Spike."

Spike raised his head off the pillow and shouted, "Oi! Peaches can kiss my arse! I'll drive that soddin' car if I want to! Let me out of this bleedin' blanket!"

He started struggling and trying to get loose as Dawn climbed into the DeSoto and started the engine. "You can drive it later. Right now we need to get out of here." She backed out of the space and followed Trevor around to the front of the building. He turned toward where he'd said the station was and she frowned. "Where the hell is he going?"

Spike chuckled as he stopped struggling and leaned his head back against the pillow. "He's from here, pet. Probably knows this place like the back of his hand. Just trust him, yeah?"

Dawn glanced back over her shoulder. "You're pretty calm-ish about this whole thing. You know if those idiot cops catch up with us, they're gonna find out what you are, probably after they beat on you some more."

Spike sighed, "I realize that, luv, but there's fuck all I can do 'bout it when I'm trapped in the bleedin' linens. Why'd he wrap me up so bloody tight? Afraid I'd get away?"

Dawn laughed, "I don't know, baby." She glanced over her shoulder again. "You can't get loose at all?"

"No. My arms are pinned and he must've wrapped the blanket 'round me three bloody times. You have a back seat full of vampire burrito, kitten."

Dawn giggled, "Ooh, my favorite flavor." She cranked the wheel and slid around a corner, squealing the tires. "Where the hell is he going now?" She squeaked as she slammed on the brakes and threw her arm over the seat to keep Spike from sliding to the floor. She slammed the car into park and turned to look at him. "You ok?"

He wiggled away from the edge of the seat and smiled. "Ta, pet. Nice reflexes. Where are we?"

She looked around. "Behind some nasty old building. Hell, I don't know. Wait, he's moving again. Hang on."

Spike chuckled, "To what?"

Dawn grinned at him. "Right. I'll get you out of that as soon as we're out of town. You still need to feed, too. I already fed Duncan."

"We'll have to be a right long way out then, and send the lads on ahead. I want a proper feedin'."

Dawn turned to look at him. "A proper… Oh." She blushed when she saw the look of pure lust etched into his features then smiled as she turned back to the road. "I can do that."

"So why're the bobbies after me now? Didn't do enough damage the first round so they're comin' back to have another go?"

"No, they called the number we gave them and Giles answered so they know you're not him. I should've called and let him know what was going on but I didn't think they'd try to call you in England since you're here. Idiots. Anyway, Trevor told the Captain that I'd asked where the hospital was, so hopefully they're going over there and won't find us." She suddenly burst into laughter.

"What's so funny, luv?"

"I just had the most wicked idea."

"What?"

"I take you straight to the police station and have Duncan help me carry you in then start screaming and crying and carrying on that they killed you. The Captain is already worried about your beating making it to the national news. I could threaten to call all the news channels and my lawyer. All you'd have to do is lay there and do that vampire stillness thing and they'd completely shit."

Spike burst into laughter. "And I thought I was the evil one, pet. That's positively diabolical."

She glanced back over her shoulder. "So you wanna?"

He chuckled as he shook his head. "As much fun as that would be, luv, I'd rather get the hell out of this burg and get to feedin'."

She smirked at him. "Anyone ever tell you that you have a one track mind?"

He smirked back. "Maybe, once or twice."


	70. Chapter 70 Wrap Up a Demon

Not Long to Wait

Ch 70 – Wrap Up a Demon

Dawn flipped her phone open and dialed Duncan. "Hey Duncan, could you ask Trevor if there's someplace coming up where we can stop? Spike really wants out of that blanket and he still needs to feed. Nice wrap job by the way. You'll have to show me how you did that; he hasn't been able to get loose at all."

Spike heard Duncan laugh then he said something that Spike couldn't quite pick up. Dawn nodded and closed her phone. "There's an old livestock sales yard about three miles up the road. Trevor says there should be a barn that we can park in or behind or whatever."

"Sounds good, kitten. S' long as I get out of this soddin' blanket. Why'd you want to know how he wrapped me so tight?"

She glanced over her shoulder and smirked. "Always good to have new information. I like to learn new things. Might be handy to know how to restrain a demon."

He chuckled, "Don't think wrappin' 'em up would do much good in a fight, luv."

"Who said I was going to be fighting the demon? Might just want to wrap one up sometime."

Spike burst into laughter. "Pet, if you want to restrain me, there are other ways. Ways that don't cover me up from head to toe. Not much fun to be had when I'm like this."

She leered at him over her shoulder. "I could have all kinds of fun… and make you watch."

She giggled at his wide-eyed stare as Duncan's car veered off the road and started bouncing down a dirt track with the DeSoto close behind. "Hey, Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you can take care of yourself… and I hope you don't feel like I'm… um… disparaging your manliness or whatever by making you run from a fight."

He chuckled, "No worries, pet, and my manliness is in fine workin' order, thanks. A vamp doesn't survive as long as I have by not knowin' when to scrap and when to scarper. Of course, there's been more than a few times that I've fought when I should've run, but goin' head to head with local law enforcement wouldn't do anythin' but get them killed or us pinched. And once they cotton to my undead status, I'd most likely end up dust or a guest of the Initiative with another soddin' chip up my brain. So, I'm fine with you baggin' me and cartin' me away from the nasties."

She smiled over her shoulder at him. "Ok, good. Just checking." Trevor stopped just outside a large ramshackle barn and Duncan climbed out of the car and tried to slide the large door open. The tracks were rusted and the door wouldn't budge, so he got a good grip on it then wrenched it away from the building and tossed it aside. He walked into the barn as Trevor rolled through the door slowly and stopped near the middle. Dawn parked behind him and turned the car off then climbed out and opened the back door. "How's your leg and ribs? I don't want to hurt you trying to get you out of the blanket."

"Ribs are fine, pet. Just be careful of the leg. S' not quite mended yet. Probably be easier to drag me out and let me stand."

Dawn nodded. "I'll come around to the other side and pull you out that way."

Spike sat up as she opened the door and caught the pillows before they hit the ground. She sneezed. "Man, it's really dusty in here and I don't think I want to know what's in that dust." She reached in and wrapped her arms around Spike then hauled him out of the car and set him gently on his feet.

He put a little weight on his left leg then winced and picked it back up. "Nope, not quite healed yet."

Duncan leaned on the hood of the DeSoto and Trevor walked up beside him just as Dawn was about to start unwrapping Spike. She looked over at them and smirked. "He's about to be naked again. Can you two handle that?"

They both smiled and turned to look away into the darkness of the barn. Dawn burst into laughter. "God, you two!" She unwrapped the blanket carefully with one hand while she helped Spike maintain his balance with the other. Once he was free, she folded the blanket in half and spread it over the back seat as Spike lifted his arms over his head and stretched. She looked him over and nodded. "Looking good. The scratches are all healed."

He smirked. "Feelin' good, luv. Just my soddin' leg still givin' me pain. I'm ready to feed whenever you are."

Trevor gulped and turned around, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the dusty floor. "Here? You've got to be kidding me."

Spike looked around. "S' good a place as any." He tapped the roof of the DeSoto. "Got my car right here. Wouldn't be the first time I've shagged in it."

Dawn stepped close and whispered in his ear, "Not really the way to get me hot, Spike, talking about your past conquests."

He slid his hands into her hair and pulled her into a heated kiss then nipped down her neck. "I've had this car for close to fifty years, luv. It's seen a lot of things and you shouldn't feel jealous of any of 'em. You've got 'em all beat."

She nibbled on his bottom lip then whispered, "Well get in and get comfortable. I'll be right there."

He grinned and dropped gracefully onto the back seat as Dawn turned to Duncan and Trevor. "You guys can go on ahead or go outside or whatever. We're gonna be busy for a little while."

Trevor started backing up with his gaze still firmly planted on the floor. "There's a small town about ten miles up the road. We'll be at the diner on the edge when you're… um… done."

Dawn chuckled, "He's in the car, Trevor. You can look at something besides the dried cow poop all over the floor."

Trevor looked up at her and smiled. "Don't take too long, ok? We really should get out of this state tonight. Captain Matthews is related to the State Police Chief and I don't doubt that he'd use that connection to get the Staties out after Spike. He really doesn't like being embarrassed and I'm sure losing a suspect that's been beaten to a pulp isn't doing wonders for his self esteem right about now."

"Ok, see you guys in a little while."

Duncan and Trevor turned and started walking back to the car and Duncan nudged Trevor. "Can I drive my car now?"

Trevor chuckled, "Yeah, sure. Just don't let Spike drive it."

Spike shouted from the DeSoto, "I heard that!"

Trevor and Duncan were both laughing as they climbed into the car and turned around in the huge space then headed back toward the road. Dawn watched the car until it was back on the highway then turned to look at Spike. He was lying back on the pillows with his feet sticking out of the car, leering up at her and gently stroking himself. "Ready, luv?"

Dawn chuckled as she stripped out of her jeans. "You sure are." She pulled her shirt over her head then tossed her clothes into the front seat and crawled into the car. She dipped her head and licked up his thigh then nibbled on the fingers still wrapped around him. "Want me to take over?"

His fingers tangled in her hair and he moaned loudly as she took him deep then licked and sucked until he was panting and thrusting his hips off the seat. He sat up just a bit and growled, "Come 'ere," then turned her around and positioned her so she was kneeling over his head. "My turn, pet." His arms snaked around her waist as his tongue delved into her core. She moaned and planted her hands on the seat beside his hips as his talented tongue worked her into a frenzy.

She lowered her head and sucked him into her mouth as he sucked hard on her. She clenched and screamed around him then took him deep as he licked gently at her throbbing flesh. She lifted up and turned around then sank down on him with a loud, throaty moan. His hands gripped her hips as she rocked against him and leaned down to bite and nibble at his neck. She bit hard enough to draw blood and his grip tightened as he slammed up into her and shouted, "Bloody hell!" She heard his demon emerge as she lapped gently at the blood leaking from her bite. He slid his fangs into her flesh with a low snarl and she gasped as he lifted her and slammed her down, grunting as he pulled blood from her neck.

The feelings from his bite washed over her and she bit him again, sucking blood from his neck in time with his thrusts. One word kept circling her mind as her body started to quiver and tremble. She felt him tense beneath her as she clenched and lifted her mouth away from his bloody skin. He slammed her down as he wrenched his mouth away from her neck, his fangs tearing through her flesh to roar into the night. Her scream mingled with his roar as the same word was torn from both their throats. "Mine!"


	71. Chapter 71 Low Maintenance

Not Long to Wait

Ch 71 – Low Maintenance

Spike woke slowly to the feeling of something dripping on his chest. He opened his eyes and raised his head slightly then reached up and pushed Dawn's hair off his face. "Dawn? Pet? You ok?"

She mumbled and turned her head then went still. He shifted a bit so he could get a good look at her and gasped when he saw her neck. There was a ragged tear over her jugular that was dripping blood. He looked down at his chest and gasped again when he saw the amount of blood covering him. "Dawn! Wake up!" He slid out from under her, kneeling awkwardly on the floor of the car then turned her over and gently brushed her bloody hair out of her face as he settled her head on the pillows. "Pet? Christ, you're gonna bleed out! Why aren't you healing?" The blanket he'd been wrapped in was soaked in blood and it was dripping onto the floor by his knees. He lifted one blood covered knee then pressed it back down and growled as blood bubbled out of the carpet then soaked back in. "Fuck!"

She mumbled something as he leaned down, pressing his mouth to the tear and doing his best to seal his bite. It seemed to take forever to get the bleeding to stop and when he raised his head to look at her, she was deathly pale, almost as pale as he was. He listened for her heart and relaxed just a little when he heard it beating strongly in her chest. "Dawn? Luv? Can you hear me?"

She mumbled again as her eyes fluttered open and focused on him. "Spike? What's wrong?"

He looked disgusted with himself as he focused on her neck. "My bite. I tore you up and you're not healing. You almost bled out. I almost killed you, pet."

She reached up with a weak hand and brushed her fingers over his cheek. "I'll be fine, baby. Immortal, remember?"

He shook his head. "You're not healin', luv. You should've been completely healed by now, even as bad as I tore into you, but you're not. I just barely got the bleedin' to stop."

The hand on his cheek drifted over to feel the bite on her neck. She winced as her fingers brushed over the raw, ragged skin. "Damn." She looked at the blood streaked across his chest and her eyes got wide. "Is all that mine?"

He looked down at his chest again and winced. "Yeah. God, I'm so sorry, luv. I'm never feedin' from you again. I'll go back to pig swill."

She reached up with a slightly stronger hand and grasped his chin, forcing him to look at her. "You will not. I'm fine, Spike. I don't know why I didn't heal right away, but I'm fine. I feel fine."

Spike chuckled bitterly, "You may feel fine, but you look like shit. Christ, Dawn! You're almost as pale as I am and your neck…"

"Will be fine. There must be something about this bite that's different." She raised her arm to his mouth. "Bite me."

He pulled back and shook his head violently. "No! I'll not hurt you again!"

She lowered her arm and said quietly, "You won't, Spike. I promise. I just want to test something, so please?" She held her arm up again. He took it reluctantly as his demon came forth, then bit into her as gently as possible. He didn't drink, just slid his fangs out and licked the two small holes. Dawn turned her arm so she could see the bite and smiled then turned it back toward him. "See? All healed."

He brushed his fingers lightly over where the bite had been and looked at her, confusion written in his features. "What the bloody hell is goin' on?"

She shrugged. "Not sure, but something was different this time. Aside from having sex in the car, did we do anything different?"

He closed his eyes as his brow furrowed in concentration. His head tilted slowly to the side then his eyes popped open and he shouted, "You drank from me!" His hand flew up to his neck and his fingers traced the bloody curve of her bite. His eyes got wide as he whispered, "Bloody hell, luv, you Claimed me."

Her eyes got just as wide. "And you Claimed me." Her inner Dawn started pumping her fist into the air and shouting "Yes! It worked!" as she did a happy little dance.

His eyes fell to the bite on her neck. "That's why it didn't heal. A Claiming bite won't until it's sealed by the vampire that made it." He ran his hands angrily through his hair, smearing red through the blond. "If I'd slept much longer, you'd have died."

"And I would've woken up later as good as new, so no big." She brushed her fingers across the bite again and smiled up at him. "So does this mean I'll have a scar?"

He nodded, looking disgusted with himself again. "Looks like. I tore you up right proper. God, I'm such a git."

She reached for his hand and clutched it to her chest. "You're not a git, and I want to bear your mark, Spike. I want everyone to know I'm yours."

He tilted his head as his scarred eyebrow moved north. "Do you know what Claiming means, pet?"

She nodded as she wrapped her hand around the stone of her necklace. "Some. I read everything about vampires that I could get my hands on after you left. A lot of it was crap or myth, but I know that Claiming is kind of like marriage for vampires. You were meant to give this necklace to your wife and now I am, sort of."

Spike chuckled, "You're a bit more than that, luv. Once a Claim is set, Claimed vampires are mated for eternity. If one dies, the other dies. There is no divorce, no way to reverse a Claim."

"Well good, I don't want a divorce. Like I said before, you're stuck with me, Spike. Is our Claim set?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. For a Claim to be set, a vampire of my line has to accept you into the family. Usually it would be my Sire, but since Dru's dust, it can be any other vampire of my line."

"So Duncan or Angel?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'll get one of them on the phone and we can ask, then it'll be set."

Spike angrily shook his head as he climbed out of the car and walked around to the trunk. He leaned against it and pounded his fist into the metal, leaving a large dent. Dawn climbed out after him and stood clutching the open door for a minute until the room had stopped spinning then moved slowly to stand in front of him. "What's wrong? Don't you think Angel and Duncan will want me in your family?"

Spike laughed, "No pet, I'm sure they'd want you. That's not the problem."

"Then what is?"

"The ritual that sets a Claim."

"There's a ritual?"

Spike pounded his fist into the trunk again. "Of course there's a bloody ritual."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at Spike. "Ok, I'm getting the feeling that you don't like the ritual. I think the car's got the idea, too."

Spike looked at the dents in the trunk then dropped his eyes to the floor. "No, pet, I don't like it. I fucking hate it."

She stepped close and wrapped her arms around him. "What do we have to do?"

He sighed as his arms slid around her and squeezed her tight. "Not we. You. I get to watch."

"Watch what? Spike, just tell me."

He buried his face in her hair and whispered, "For you to be accepted into my line, there has to be a blood exchange between you and either Angel or Duncan. Probably Duncan since he's the closest in relation to me."

"So he bites me and I bite him while you watch. I'm not seeing what all the drama's about, baby."

He sighed into her hair, "That's not all. The blood exchange has to take place while you're… while he's… oh bollocks." He took a deep breath. "You have to shag Duncan and bite each other while I watch."

Dawn pulled back with a look of horror on her face. "What? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Who the hell made that rule? I don't want to have sex with Duncan! I'll bite him and let him bite me, but I don't want to have sex with him!"

Spike's eyes were focused on her chin as he said quietly, "I know, luv. I don't want you to either, but that's what it takes to set a Claim. It's vampire law."

Dawn backed up and put her hands on her hips. "And what happens if I don't?"

Spike smiled slightly at her standing in front of him, obviously pissed and completely unaware of her nakedness. "The Claim will fade and eventually disappear."

She shrugged. "Ok. I can deal with that. I want to be mated to you, but I can deal if I'm not. Does anything happen to you?"

"Well… yeah…"

Dawn threw her arms up in the air and shouted in frustration, "Oh for Pete's sake, Spike! Just spit it out already!"

He ran his hands through his hair again and muttered, "I need a fag." He stalked to the open door and leaned in, snagging his duster from the back window, then dug in the pockets until he came up with a half-empty pack of smokes. He fished out his lighter and draped the coat over the door then walked back to the trunk shaking a cigarette out of the pack. He placed it between his lips and held the pack out to Dawn. "Want one?"

She nodded and took the pack, shaking out her own cigarette. Spike lit hers then his and they both took a deep drag. She tossed the pack onto the trunk and watched as it slid into one of the dents. She moved over next to Spike and leaned on the trunk then snaked her arm around his waist and pulled him close. "So… tell me the whole thing. Everything. No matter how weird or disgusting. I promise not to interrupt until you're finished."

He tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling then took a deep breath and looked at her. "All right. For our Claim to be set, you have to be accepted into my line by shaggin' and sharin' blood with an Aurelian. If you won't do that or you aren't accepted, the Claim will fade. Once the Claim has gone, I have to kill you as punishment for tryin' to Claim an unworthy mate. If I refuse, then Angel or Duncan would have to, or the entire Aurelian line will end. That's it."

She nodded slowly as she took another drag. "Uh huh. So… still not seeing the problem. I don't have sex with Duncan. The Claim fades. You kill me. Boom. Claim thingy over with. I wake up. We go to Vegas and kick some demon ass."

Spike shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose then looked down at her. "What about my bite not healin', luv? It's a Claiming bite. What happens if I kill you and you don't wake up 'cause it's a Claim kill? I don't know what's stronger, your Key power or the power of the Claim. Based on the healin' thing, I'd have to wager Claim and I don't want to take that chance, kitten."

Dawn looked down at the floor and said in a small voice, "Oh. I didn't think of that." She looked up at Spike with tears in her eyes. "So if I don't have sex with Duncan or Angel and nobody kills me then all three of you die?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah."

Dawn dropped her head and swiped at her eyes as she took a long drag on her cigarette. She blew the smoke out through her nose then lifted her head and looked at Spike. "I'll do it. If it means that you won't die and I'll be yours forever, then I'll do it. I don't like it and I really don't understand… well… I get the blood part. Vampires and blood I get. It's the sex part I don't understand."

Spike laid his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. "Vampires are carnal creatures, luv. We're all about blood and sex. Every vampire ritual I know of involves one or the other… usually both."

"Well, it's stupid. Whoever thought that crap up was a complete idiot."

Spike chuckled, "Not gonna argue with you there, pet." He took a drag of his cigarette then flicked it away into the darkness. "We should go. Need to find a hotel or somethin' and get cleaned up."

Dawn trailed her finger through the blood on Spike's chest and smirked. "Yeah. We both look like extras in a slasher movie, but we're still not far enough away. How much longer 'til sunrise?"

Spike closed his eyes and felt the night. "'Bout six hours or so." He vamped and looked around the barn then took Dawn's hand and pulled her into the darkness.

She flicked her smoke away as she followed behind him. "Where we going?"

"There's a faucet on the wall over there. I'm hopin' it'll have water and we can wash up a bit and get back on the road."

They stopped in front of a faucet set high on the wall and Spike reached up and turned it on. The pipes clanked and squealed for a few seconds then a stream of nasty brown water shot out and splashed in the dust at their feet. They let it run for several minutes before it cleared up then Dawn stepped under the faucet and let the water run through her hair. She combed her fingers through it and quickly scrubbed her face, neck, and chest. She shivered as she turned and held her hair up and out of the way. "Damn this water is cold! Can you get my back?"

Spike scrubbed the blood off her back then turned her and pushed her gently back under the water. "There you go."

She let the water run over her for a few seconds then stepped out of the stream and squeezed most of the water out of her hair. She turned to Spike. "Smell me. Do I still smell like blood?"

Spike stepped close and sniffed deeply. "A little, but I don't think it'll be noticeable to anyone who's not a vampire."

She smiled. "Ok, your turn, mister. Get under the water."

He backed up a step and reached his hand out to catch some water. "My hair's not that bad, pet. I can wait for a shower. I'll just get the blood on my chest." He splashed the water on his chest and rubbed at the blood but only succeeded in smearing it around.

She shook her head. "Uh uh. You're hair's white. Blood kinda sticks out in your hair. Besides, you got more blood on you than I did, and if I can take the cold water then you sure can, Mr. Big Bad. Get over here."

He grumbled as he stepped under the stream of water then shivered as he ran his fingers through his curls. "Bloody hate cold water." He scrubbed his face and neck while Dawn scrubbed his chest and legs then turned him and scrubbed his back.

She giggled, "You really don't like being cold at all, do you? You do realize that you're a vampire, right?"

He turned the faucet off then shook his head like a dog, laughing when she squealed and jumped away from him. "I can stand the cold 'cause I am a vamp, but I love bein' warm."

They walked slowly back to the car as they shook their limbs and pushed water off themselves with their hands. Dawn glanced at him sideways and nudged him with a damp elbow. "Leg's healed up, huh?"

He bounced on it a few times and nodded, "Yeah. Good as new, pet."

She smiled and twined their fingers together. "Good. I really don't like to see you in pain, Spike. It hurts me."

He tilted his head at her. "Hurts you?"

She nodded and placed her hand over her heart. "Here. It hurts me here."

He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her tight to him. "I love you, pet. More than you'll ever know."

She stopped and wrapped her arms around his middle then gently kissed him. "I love you too, Spike. I hope you know how much."

He kissed the end of her nose and smiled. "I do, pet. I do." *_And soon I'm going to find out exactly __**how**__ much. Bloody buggerin' ritual.*_

They finished the short walk to the car and Dawn picked up the smokes and lighter off the trunk then opened it and started digging around in one of the duffels. "Did we steal any towels from the hotel?"

Spike chuckled, "Don't know, luv. You packed us up, remember?"

She giggled and tossed a t-shirt at him. "Then we didn't, 'cause I don't remember packing any. We'll just have to let our clothes dry us, I guess."

He pulled the shirt over his head then caught the jeans she tossed over her shoulder with a laugh. "Least you're not squeamish 'bout havin' to rough it. Most birds would be throwin' a right fit over showerin' with cold water in an abandoned barn."

She turned and smirked at him as she stepped into a long flowing skirt. "Well, I'm not most birds. I'm pretty low maintenance and as long as I'm with you, I don't care where we are."


	72. Chapter 72 The Chicken Dance

Not Long to Wait

Ch 72 – The Chicken Dance

The headlights speared through the darkness as the large black car roared down the highway. Dawn lifted Spike's arm over her shoulders then curled her legs up on the seat as she leaned into him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Trevor said the next town was like ten miles up. Should be a diner."

Spike squeezed her shoulder and gently kissed the top of her head. "I heard, luv. You cold?"

She shook her head. "No, not really. I'm still just a little freaked about the whole Claim thing."

Spike's voice was barely above a whisper, "You regret it, don't you?"

She sat up and looked at him as he dropped his arm and stared at the road. "Never, Spike. I'm a little wigged about the whole Duncan thing, but I wanted to Claim you. I knew what I was doing when I bit you."

His eyes jerked away from the road and fixed on hers. "You did it on purpose? I thought it was just a heat of the moment thing."

She leaned into him and wrapped her arm around his then twined their fingers together as he looked back to the road. "Nope. I knew you were going to bite me and I'd read enough about Claims to know that if we bit each other at the same time then we'd be mated. I wanted to do it. I didn't know about the shouting _Mine _part, that wasn't mentioned in any of the books I read, but once I bit you, that word just kind of slammed into my brain. I also hadn't planned on it happening in the back seat of the car, but hey, the place really doesn't matter, does it?"

"No, I suppose it doesn't."

She looked over her shoulder. "We are gonna have to do something about the back seat, though. It looks like we murdered someone back there and it's gonna start to stink."

He smirked. "Just a car, luv. Not like we can't get another one."

She lightly smacked his leg. "It's not just a car! It's where we got married! We can't get rid of it now!"

He glanced sideways at her and chuckled, "Women."

"I'll call Willow and see if she'll tell me that clean up spell she uses. I haven't done much magic since the thing with my Mom, but I know I have the ability. I'll never be as powerful as Willow, but I could probably get the car clean." She looked over at him when he didn't say anything. "Spike? You in there?"

He started and jerked his gaze away from the road to look at her. His voice was a whisper, "You Claimed me."

She leaned up and nibbled on his earlobe. "Yep and I'd do it again, even now that I know about the _ritual._ You're mine. I'm yours. And we're almost legal…ish."

He glanced at her quickly then looked back at the road. "You really want me. Forever."

"Well… yeah. Don't look so surprised, Spike. I love you, ya big dork. I wouldn't have bitten you if I didn't. I'm not really into the whole drinking blood scene… you know… since I'm not a vampire." She tilted her head. "Yours doesn't taste too bad, though. Kind of sweet… a little salty. All in all, not bad."

He chuckled, "It's actually your blood, luv."

She smiled. "I know, but it tastes different from you. Am I going to have to drink from you again… to… um… keep up the Claim or whatever?"

He shook his head. "No, not if you don't want to. Once the Claim is set, that's it. It doesn't need maintenance or upkeep. It just is."

"Oh. I wouldn't mind it… you know… once in a while."

Spike wrapped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. "You can drink from me anytime, kitten."

Her brow furrowed as she frowned. "I just had a thought. Duncan."

"What about him?"

"Well we've… accepted… I guess… about the whole ritual thing, but Duncan was completely wigged about biting me. How do you think he's going to react when we tell him he has to have sex with me?"

"He'll understand, pet. He knows 'bout the Claiming ritual."

"He does? How?"

"When you're turned, you wake up knowing vampire history and lore, well; your demon does, anyway. You don't get all the particulars, your Sire is supposed to fill in the blanks and train you, but you have the basic knowledge."

Dawn gave him an incredulous look. "So Dru trained you?"

Spike barked laughter. "No. She sired me, but 'Gelus trained me, if that's what you want to call beatin' me to a bloody pulp every chance he got. Darla's the one filled me in on rituals and things of that sort."

"Did you ever sire anyone?"

He shook his head. "No… well… except for a few minions here and there, but they usually didn't last long. They'd do whatever I made 'em for, then Dru would get tired of 'em being underfoot and dust 'em. I never sired a Childe; had enough on my plate dealin' with Dru."

"So how does Duncan know any of this? He didn't have anyone to train him."

"His demon had the basics rattlin' 'round in there when he woke, but since Dru left him on his own so soon after, he never had reason to access any of it, that's why he didn't know much 'bout our kind. He'd managed to suppress his demon and was livin' as a human on a strange diet with an aversion to sunlight. When he fed from me, it woke up the demon and filled in some blanks, sort of like a crash course. He should have most of what we need and whatever's he's missin', I'll explain."

"Um… what if he doesn't want to… you know… have sex with me? What do we do then?"

"He'll do it, luv, one way or another. I'll explain things first and if he doesn't agree then I'll use my control to compel him to do it."

"You have control over Duncan? Does he know that?"

"Yeah and he should. I'm above him in the family line. My bond with him isn't as strong as a Sire-Childe bond, but I can make him do things if I'm so inclined. "

Dawn giggled, "So you could make him do the chicken dance or something?"

Spike laughed, "Yeah, I suppose I could. You'd have to show me what the bleedin' hell that is, of course, but if you want to see him do it, I'll make him."

Dawn giggled then pointed to a small building up ahead. "There's the diner. Boy, Trevor wasn't lying about it being on the edge of town." She waved at the blackness behind them. "Look. Nothing. Then boom. Town."

"Are you hungry, pet? You want to go in and get somethin' to eat or just gather the chaps and get back on the road?"

Dawn rubbed her stomach. "I could eat. What about you?"

He shook his head. "I'm good." He pulled into the lot and parked next to Duncan's car then turned to her and gently brushed his fingers across the slightly healed bite on her neck. "You have a scarf or somethin' to wear?"

She placed her hand over his and shook her head. "No. I'm proud to carry your mark, Spike." She leaned into him and licked across her bite on his neck, making him shiver. "What about you?"

He grinned and pulled her into a heated kiss as he caressed her breast through her shirt. "I'm proud to bear your mark too, pet. Prouder than you know."

Dawn glanced quickly around the parking lot and looked at the diner building. They were parked behind it, out of sight of the windows, and there were only a few cars in the lot. She leaned close and nipped at Spike's neck as she lifted her skirt and straddled him. The position was awkward and the steering wheel was digging into her back, but she licked his ear and ground against him, smiling against his neck as he growled, "Bloody hell, luv. You are perfect." He wrapped his arms around her and twisted his upper body to lay down across the front seat.

She untucked his shirt and slid her hands under it, scratching his chest, then pulled it up and leaned down to lick his nipple. He gasped as she sucked it into her mouth and bit down. "Oh God, pet!" She sucked harder and bit as he groaned and ground up into her heat. She nipped across to the other nipple as she reached between them and popped the buttons of his jeans. He grasped her hips and groaned as she rose up then sank down onto him. She set a fast pace, bracing her hands on his chest as she rode him, her hair swinging and bouncing and tickling across the skin of his chest.

He slid his hands under her shirt and caressed her breasts, pinching and rolling the nipples between his fingers as she threw her head back and moaned loudly. The loud sound of feet scraping across gravel drew his attention away from the beautiful woman riding him with reckless abandon. He extended his senses then reached up and pulled her down to him, whispering in her ear, "Someone's comin', pet."

She licked and nipped at her mark as she rocked her hips, grinding herself against him and moaning into his ear, "Almost, baby."

He slipped one hand between them and started massaging her as his other hand gripped the back of her neck and pulled her to his lips. He plundered her mouth as he stroked her hard and thrust his hips wildly. Her nails dug into his chest as she quivered then clenched, screaming into his mouth. Her quivering walls pushed him over the edge and he bit back a roar as his hand slid to her back and pulled her tight against him. She collapsed, dropping her head onto his shoulder and panting against his neck.

She raised one hand to play gently with the soft hair behind his ear as she licked lightly across her mark. She lifted herself up just a bit and placed gentle kisses to his cheek and chin then smiled down at him. "You didn't mean me, did you?"

He grinned and shook his head. "No. There's someone outside. Heard 'em walkin'."

She raised up just enough to peek out the window then lifted her hand to wave at the startled waitress standing next to a car about ten feet away. Spike sat up and turned to look and Dawn giggled as the waitress smirked and waved back. She opened the door and climbed into her car, chuckling as she started it and drove away.

Spike smirked as he turned back to Dawn. "Still hungry, luv? We should get inside 'fore the lads start thinkin' I've been pinched." She slid her hand down his chest and pinched his nipple through his shirt. He gasped and grabbed her hips then thrust into her. "Or we could stay here for round two."

She threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him softly as she rocked against him. "I could do this for the rest of my life and never get tired of it, but you're right, we should go in."

He growled as he wrapped his arm tight around her then reached behind him for the door handle. He pushed the door open then turned them around and climbed out of the car, still buried deep. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he pressed her up against the back door and started thrusting into her hard and fast. Her head fell back against the roof of the car, baring her throat and he fastened his lips there, licking and nibbling with blunt teeth.

She pulled his head tight against her neck and whispered, "Do it, baby. Bite me."

She felt the planes of his face shift and with a muffled snarl, his fangs were buried in her flesh. The car rocked with the force of his thrusts as all his love and lust poured into her and sizzled throughout her body. Every nerve was singing as waves of pleasure broke over her and she screamed his name into the night.

The heads of everyone in the diner whipped up to peer at the windows when they heard a woman scream. A man dressed in a ragged flannel shirt stood and started toward the door then stopped suddenly when a loud feral roar rattled the windows in their frames. He dropped back into his seat and glanced around at the other diners then said, "What? Didn't you hear that? I'm sure as hell not going out there."

Trevor chuckled as he smirked at Duncan. "Sounds like they finally showed up."


	73. Chapter 73 Approach With Caution

Not Long to Wait

Ch 73 – Approach With Caution

The people in the diner looked up nervously as the bell above the door jingled and two people walked in. A tall, thin woman with long, black hair stepped into the diner then turned and took the hand of the man behind her. He was wearing a long, black, leather duster and an angry red bite mark on his neck stood out starkly against his pale skin. They took two steps into the small room then stopped when they noticed everyone in the place staring at them.

Spike looked around with icy blue eyes and snarled, "What?" Gazes dropped back to plates as he snorted and muttered, "Humans," then led Dawn over to the table where Trevor and Duncan sat with knowing smiles etched across their faces.

Trevor stood up from his chair and moved to the one next to Duncan so Spike and Dawn could sit together. "It's about time you two got here. The state line is still two hours away. Did you have any trouble?"

Dawn flipped her hair back over her shoulder and shook her head. "No. Not trouble, exactly. Something did happen though."

Duncan's eyes narrowed as he stared at the still red and raw mark on Dawn's neck. He looked at the matching mark on Spike's neck and gasped. "You've Claimed. That's what happened, isn't it?"

Trevor looked at where Duncan was staring and his brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Duncan pointed to the marks and said, "They're mated. That's what those bites mean."

Spike noticed Trevor's confused look and cleared his throat. "Uh… it's like marriage, only for vamps. Basically we've pledged ourselves to each other for eternity."

Trevor's eyes got huge. "Eternity? As in forever and ever? Until the end of time?" Spike nodded. "Holy shit! Vampires sure are serious about marriage, aren't they?"

Spike chuckled, "Yeah, guess you could say that. It's not set, though. There's still one more step 'fore its final." He looked at Duncan.

Duncan stared back at him then his mouth slowly dropped open as realization dawned in his eyes. He looked at Dawn and she smiled somewhat shyly at him then his eyes whipped back to Spike. "You mean… me?" Spike nodded again. "What?... No… I… what about Drusi… oh… right." His face took on a terrified look and he glanced at Dawn again then dropped his gaze to the table. His head flew up and he shouted, "Angel!" The diners at the counter behind him startled and turned to see what was going on. Dawn waved her hand and glared at them and they turned back around.

Spike's eyes flashed amber as he snarled, "Not just no… Bloody hell no! That tosser isn't gonna get his mitts on my woman." His eyes dropped to his lap as his voice dropped to a barely discernable whisper, "Not again." He lifted his head and glared at Duncan. "She's the only good thing I've ever had that he didn't have first. She's mine. Period."

Dawn reached her hand out and placed it gently on Duncan's. "Angel is a big, fat, no way in hell is that ever gonna happen. It has to be you, Duncan." She pulled her hand back as her face turned thoughtful then she looked at Spike. "What about Connor?"

Spike tilted his head. "Connor? Who's he?"

"Angel's son. Isn't he an Aurelian?"

Spike shook his head. "Not sure what he is, but I can't feel him like I can Duncan and Forehead, so he's either not of the line or he's far enough removed to make him useless for this. What made you think of him?"

Dawn blushed a little and looked down at the table. "Oh… uh… I just know him… you know… from when I lived at Angel's."

Spike reached out and gently lifted her chin. "Know him? How well do you **know** him?" The deep red blush on her face told him all he needed to know. "You've shagged him, yeah?"

She dropped her gaze to her lap. "Yeah, actually, he was my first."

Trevor was watching all this with a look of pure, unadulterated confusion on his face. He leaned in just a little and rapped his knuckles on the table top. When everyone's eyes were on him he sat up straight and said, "Uh… what the hell are you people talking about?"

Spike growled, "Hold on a tic. Dawn needs to eat." He looked around the diner. "Doesn't anyone work in this soddin' place?" He spied a waitress lurking in a doorway behind the counter and waved her over. She watched him warily as she walked slowly over to the table.

She handed out menus and stammered, "Can I get you something to drink?"

Spike looked up at her. "Yeah, luv. Don't suppose you have beer, yeah?" She shook her head. "Right then. I'll take a cup of tea." He nodded at the half empty coffee cups in front of Duncan and Trevor. "You two need a refill?"

Trevor nodded then elbowed Duncan when he just sat there staring at his hands. He looked up at the waitress. "Oh… sure. Whatever."

Dawn paged through the menu then looked up at the waitress. "I'll take a cheeseburger and fries, no garden please, and a Pepsi." She handed her menu back to the waitress and looked over at Trevor. "Aren't you eating?"

He shook his head and smiled. "We already did." He smirked up at the waitress then looked back at Dawn. "I think they were about to throw us out of here, we've been sitting here so long."

She blushed and started fiddling with her silverware. "Yeah. Sorry about that."

The waitress gathered up the rest of the menus and headed for the kitchen. Spike dug in his duster and fished out his smokes then brought one to his lips and lit it. Trevor cleared his throat and nodded at the no smoking sign posted above the coffee pots.

Smoke poured out of Spike's nose in a derisive snort, "Vampire, mate. Like I give a bloody damn."

The man in the ragged flannel shirt turned toward their table and waved his hand through the smoke drifting toward him. "Hey buddy, you want to put that out? There's no smoking in here."

Spike turned around and tilted his head, letting his features change just enough to show the man what he was. "You say somethin'?" The man shook his head violently no, then turned back around and Spike chuckled, "Yeah. Thought so."

Duncan was staring at him when he turned back to the table. "How soon?"

"Needs to be done 'fore the bites heal."

Duncan cringed then looked at Dawn. She was blushing and tearing her napkin into tiny pieces. She looked up at him. "I don't like this any more than you do, Duncan. I mean, it's not that I don't like you… it's just…"

He nodded. "I know." He looked at Spike through the smoke curling around his head. "You're gonna dust me when it's over, aren't you?"

Spike tilted his head. "Now why would I do that?"

The look on Duncan's face made Spike chuckle. "Uh… hello! She's your… uh… mate… and I'm going to… uh… and when it's done… I've heard a lot of things about you, Spike. How you've killed people for far less than that. The way you've killed them. You even threatened me with it at the bar, so stick a fork in me, Spike, I'm done… you know… as soon as I'm done."

Spike tapped his smoke against the sole of his boot as he chuckled, "M' not gonna dust you, Dunc. You don't like it. I don't like it. Dawn doesn't like it. But it's necessary. It has to be done."

The waitress walked over to their table carrying a tray and a coffee pot. She set Dawn's drink and food in front of her then handed Spike his cup of tea and refilled the two coffee cups on the table. "Anything else I can get you?"

Everyone shook their heads and she looked pointedly at Spike. "There's no smoking in here, sir. I'm going to have to ask you to put that out."

Spike smirked up at her as he took a deep drag then blew the smoke toward her. "Or what, pet?"

She stammered, "Uh… I'll have to ask you to leave."

Spike snorted and waved his hand at her impatiently. "I'll leave when I'm bloody ready to. Now toddle off and do whatever it is you do. We've things to discuss." She stayed firmly rooted to the spot and Spike glared up at her with amber eyes. "Bye now."

She gasped and stepped back then darted around the counter and into the kitchen. Dawn chuckled around her burger, "Geez, you're in a mood. Why you being so scratchy?"

Spike took one last drag then stubbed the smoke out on the sole of his boot and tossed the butt into a nearby trash can. "Just bloody tired of dealin' with idiots today, kitten. Bein' proper and polite to gits I wouldn't have bothered bitin' a few years ago. I've had my fill."

"Oh. Ok." Dawn popped a fry into her mouth and looked at Trevor. "Can we get across the state line and find a hotel before sunrise?"

Trevor nodded. "Yeah, but we need to get moving in the next half hour or so." He looked at Spike. "So. You gonna tell me what the hell is going on with you and Duncan?"

Duncan nudged him and shook his head. "I'll tell you on the way."

Spike looked at him. "You know everythin'? Any blanks need fillin' in?"

Duncan closed his eyes as his brow furrowed in concentration. "I think I've got it all. Is there anything that needs to be said? An incantation or anything?"

Spike sighed as he got to his feet, "Yeah, there's two. It'd take too long to teach you how to say 'em so let's go." He bent down and gave Dawn a quick kiss. "We'll be outside, pet." He dug in his duster and tossed a few bills on the table then stalked out of the diner with Duncan following behind.

The man in the flannel shirt had been staring at Dawn's neck for the last few minutes. As soon as Spike was through the door, he got up and walked over to her, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "Um… miss? Do you need some help?"

Dawn looked up at him with a bewildered expression. "With what?"

He nodded at the front door then glanced at Trevor who just looked back at him impassively. "That man you came in with is dangerous, and it looks like he's already hurt you. If you need help getting away from him, I've got my rig outside. I can get you out of here."

"Seems like I heard something kinda similar the other day." Dawn smirked at Trevor who grinned sheepishly then shrugged as he picked up his coffee cup and took a drink. She looked up at the man who still had his hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, but no. I'm fine and he hasn't done anything to me that I didn't ask him to." She reached up and brushed her fingers over Spike's mark, closing her eyes and shivering as she caressed the raw skin. "I belong to him and it would probably be a good idea if you took your hand off me." When the man didn't move, Dawn looked up at him. "You know what he is, right?"

The man nodded but still didn't remove his hand. In fact, he squeezed her shoulder and started rubbing his thumb in small circles. "Yeah. I know what he is. You need to get away from him before he kills you."

Dawn closed her eyes and felt for Spike. When she opened them, the man was looking at her oddly. "He's on his way back in so you might want to let go of me. He's not in a very good mood right now and if he sees you touching me…"

The door to the diner swung open and the man jerked his hand away like he'd been burned, but it wasn't quite quick enough. A low growl rumbled through the diner as Spike's icy blue glare changed to glinting amber. As his fangs descended and his forehead got bumpy, the diner patrons and employees decided as a group that they needed a breath of fresh air and scrambled for the door Duncan was still holding open.

Dawn calmly picked up her burger and took a bite as Spike stomped through the diner snarling, "You. Touched. My. Mate."

She smiled at the man as she took a drink of her Pepsi. "Told you."

Trevor watched her stuff some fries into her mouth as Spike fisted his hands in the man's shirt and pushed him backwards until he slammed into the wall next to a payphone. "You're not going to do anything?"

Dawn shrugged. "I'm gonna watch, same as I did the other day." She took another drink of Pepsi and nodded over her shoulder. "I warned him. Not my fault he's stupid. Besides, I need to finish my food so we can go." She took a large bite of her burger and turned around just as Spike smacked the man in the head with the telephone handset.

He slammed the phone down in the cradle then stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest as he tilted his head. "So… should I kill you or not?"

Trevor bolted to his feet and rushed over to stand behind Spike then tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Uh… Spike?"

Spike turned slightly and looked at him. "Yeah?"

Trevor whispered, "Um… I thought you didn't kill people anymore."

Spike turned all the way around and leaned close to Trevor. "Didn't kill any of your lot, did I? I try not to **kill** people, Trevor, but I never said I wouldn't **hurt** 'em."

The man was rubbing the bright red circle in the middle of his forehead when Spike turned to face him. He threw his hands up and stammered. "Look, I'm sorry and I'll never do it again. I swear!"

Spike snarled as he licked his fangs, "Bloody right you won't." He darted forward, bared the man's neck, and sank his fangs deep in a smooth, fluid motion. Trevor's eyes were as wide as saucers as he watched Spike feed. He took half a dozen mouthfuls from the man before he wrenched his head away and let him slump to the floor. He bent down, licking the blood from his lips, and whispered, "You don't touch a vampire's mate." He patted the man on the shoulder. "Just a small bit of advice. I suggest you take it. Now bugger off."

The man clapped his hand to his neck and staggered to his feet. He leaned against the wall for a few seconds then stumbled toward the door, bumping into tables and chairs on his way across the room. Duncan pulled the door open and he stumbled through it and weaved across the parking lot and out of sight.

Spike turned around, the demon gone, and walked over to the table. "Did he hurt you, luv?"

Dawn shook her head and giggled. "No. He thought you were abusing me and wanted to help me get away from you."

Spike burst into laughter and dropped down into his chair. "That's funny, that is." He looked around the empty diner and chuckled, "Seems I cleared 'em out, pet. Good. Was gettin' right irritated with all the starin'."

Dawn took another bite of her burger as the police scanner on the counter next to the cash register crackled to life. A woman's voice came through with a string of incomprehensible numbers then, _Fight in progress at Donna's Diner. Subject is a white male, white hair, wearing a black trench coat. Also wanted for identity theft, property destruction and resisting arrest. Be advised, subject is armed and dangerous. Approach with caution._

Spike chuckled as he got to his feet. "That's our cue, pet."

Dawn stood and stuffed a few more fries into her mouth then picked up her glass and drained it. She picked up what was left of her burger and started for the door. "Looks like. Let's motor."

They stepped out of the diner and the group of people gathered around the man in the flannel shirt looked over at them warily. Spike flashed the two finger salute then turned, duster flaring, and walked around the corner of the building, muttering under his breath, "Wankers."


	74. Chapter 74 Older

Not Long to Wait

Ch 74 – Older

Dawn popped the last bite of burger into her mouth as the DeSoto fishtailed out of the parking lot and screeched onto the highway. Spike wrapped his arm over her shoulders and said low, "You should try to get some sleep, pet. We should do the ritual as soon as we get to the hotel."

She nodded and lay down on the seat, settling her head on his thigh. He laid his arm gently on her side and let his hand fall over her stomach. She lifted her fingers and gently rubbed the back of his hand then twined their fingers together. "Spike?"

"Yeah, luv?"

"It wasn't the people at the diner pissing you off, was it? It was finding out about me and Connor."

His fingers tightened briefly on hers then he sighed, "Yeah."

"I'm sorry."

"You've nothin' to be sorry for, pet. It's my problem, not yours. You had a life 'fore we got together and considerin' my history, I can't fault you for any of it. Not like I haven't been with others."

"I know, but considering your history with Angel, I should've found a different way to tell you about it. And I probably shouldn't have suggested him for the ritual; I wasn't really thinking. I just thought maybe I'd feel a little more comfortable with him than I will with Duncan."

"'Cause you've shagged him already."

"Well, yeah." She laughed and pitched her voice a bit higher as she said, "Hey, let's just get my old boyfriend up here! Yeah, that's a good plan! Spike won't have any problem with that!" She smacked herself in the forehead. "Geez, I'm an idiot."

Spike chuckled, "I know you didn't mean anythin' by it, luv. You're a bit spun. Just took me by surprise, is all."

"Well, I'm sorry about it."

He squeezed her fingers. "No worries, pet. How long were you two together?"

"Not very long and we weren't actually _together. _I mean, we hung out, but we weren't really _going_ out."

"Kind of a _friends with benefits_ type thing?"

Dawn giggled, "Not exactly. We had a lot of fun hanging out. He's really easy to talk to and we've both had weird things happening to us and around us our whole lives, so we kind of have a lot in common, but when we started in with the sex thing… I was scared to death and I think he was, too. We only had sex a few times when we decided we were better as friends. At least you're one up on Angel. He never knew about us."

"The poof doesn't know?"

"No. I wasn't exactly of legal age at the time and Angel was already way overprotective of me because Buffy was dead and everybody else had moved wherever. He kind of took over as my Dad for a while and we thought it would make his head explode to have his kids screwing each other even if we aren't actually related."

"So havin' him feed from you must have been awkward if you think of him as your Da. I wish you'd told me, pet."

"I don't think of him like that anymore. Now he's more like my annoying older brother. You know, the one that rats you out to Mom when you come in after curfew."

"Still. Awkward."

"Not so much. I was fine with it, Spike, really. It might have been uncomfortable if you weren't there, but it was ok."

"Angel never would've fed from you if I wasn't there. Not like that. That's why he asked my permission first."

Her head lifted off his thigh as she propped herself on one elbow so she could glare at him in indignation. "_**Your**_ permission? I thought it was my blood to give to whoever I wanted. Why would he need _**your**_ permission?"

"It is your blood, pet, but I'd already marked you as mine. Even though you couldn't see my bites 'cause of your healin', another vamp can sense the claim. He didn't have to ask me, it's just courtesy. It's like takin' somethin' off someone's plate without askin' first. It's rude and could get you dusted dependin' on the vamp you're takin' from."

Dawn chuckled, "Who knew vampires had so many rules?" She turned and lay on her back then propped her feet up on the door handle as she smiled up at him. "So you'd already Claimed me?"

He shook his head. "It's not a Mating Claim, luv. It's just your basic, _Hey, that's mine, so bugger off _claim. If I'd only fed from you once, you're food with no claim. If I feed from you more than that, then other vamps can sense you're a favored human and they'll leave you be or risk the wrath of a Master Vampire."

She grinned. "So I'm favored?"

"Yeah. That might've been part of Duncan's problem with bitin' you. He could feel the claim but didn't know what it meant."

"So because he's fed from me more than once, has he claimed me as favored too?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, but since I'm older and above him in the line, my claim takes precedence. Another vamp would also be able to tell that you've been shared. Sharin' a human between vampires makes you even more special, pet. There's not a vamp anywhere that would dare take a bite of you now."

"Why not?"

"You're favored by two Aurelian vampires. Our line is one of the most powerful clans, luv. A vampire of a lesser line wouldn't want to risk retribution by drinkin' from you. Somethin' like that would bring the fury of the entire Aurelian clan down on not only the stupid sod that sank his fangs, but his entire line."

"Wow. Vampires have a lot of complicated rules and stuff, huh?"

Spike laughed, "We're around a long time, pet. Need to have somethin' to fill the days. When we're not feedin' we're warrin' with other clans, least that's how it used to be. I haven't been in a good clan war for a few decades. Most of the stronger clans are based in Europe, though. American vamps aren't all that interested in clan status."

"I love hearing about all this vampire stuff. It's really cool." She brought his fingers to her lips and gently kissed them. "I'm sorry about the whole Connor thing."

"How old were you, pet?"

"It wasn't too long after Sunnydale; I was almost seventeen."

Spike was silent for few minutes then he looked down at Dawn. "Hang on a tic, how old is Connor? It hasn't been that long since Forehead left Sunnydale. He can't possibly be old enough to be runnin' a boardin' house and shaggin' teenage girls."

"He's about my age; he's not really sure 'cause he was kidnapped by a vampire hunter when he was a baby and the guy raised him in a hell dimension. He left our dimension as a baby and came back a few days later as a teenager."

Spike nodded and chuckled, "Yeah, that makes sense, well, as much as anythin' does, I guess."

Dawn was quiet for a long time and Spike thought she'd gone to sleep until she spoke and startled him. "Um… what if I can't… you know… come… with Duncan. Do I have to?"

"Yeah, pet. You both do, otherwise the ritual won't be complete."

"But how am I supposed to get into it? He's not you. How can I let myself enjoy it when it's not you?"

"You've been with other blokes, luv."

Her voice was a whisper, "Just one besides Connor and you."

Spike's fingers, that had been gently caressing her stomach, stopped moving. "What?"

"I've only been with three men."

Spike looked down at her. "I don't mean to be an arse, pet, and you can slap me if you like, but how do you know all the things you do? You've talked about tyin' me up and safe words and God, pet, you're an amazin' lover."

She blushed and buried her face in his stomach then mumbled into his shirt. "I've worked in a lot of strip clubs where there was a lot more going on than just stripping, so I've seen a lot of stuff, but it was the second guy that taught me most of what I know."

Spike's voice was quiet when he asked, "Who was he?"

"It's kind of a long story. You sure you want to hear it?"

"Yeah, luv. I do."

She took a deep breath as she turned her head and stared at the ceiling then started talking in a low voice, "It was about three years after you'd left. I left LA as soon as I turned eighteen, going to towns with reports of vampire activity to see if I could find you. I got to this one town and couldn't find a single vampire so I talked to the bartender at the local demon bar to find out what happened and he said a slayer had come to town and dusted them all. I asked if he'd known or could describe any of them and he said the only one that was a regular was a blond man about your height with a scar on his eyebrow."

Spike's fingers tightened on hers. "You thought I was dust."

She nodded. "Yeah. I stumbled out of the demon bar in a daze and found myself drinking Jack at a bar that I didn't remember going to. I have no idea how much I actually drank or how I even got in since I wasn't twenty-one yet, but the next morning I woke up in a strange bed next to a man I didn't remember meeting."

A low growl rumbled through the car. "He didn't force you, did he?"

"No, well, I'm not really sure about the first night because I don't remember, but I don't think so. I stayed with him for a week before Angel called to check up on me because the guy he had following me hadn't seen me in that long. I think that guy's on permanent toilet cleaning duty for not telling Angel that he'd lost me." She took another deep breath. "So anyway, I spent a week with this guy basically just having sex and eating."

"What was his name?"

She shrugged. "No idea. We didn't really talk at all and I didn't care. After Angel called and told me that you were still alive-ish, I left and moved on to the next town."

"Why didn't you call Angel straight away after you talked to the bartender?"

"I didn't know then that you guys can feel each other. I was pretty pissed when Angel told me that he would've felt you dust. That was information that would've been really handy to know. I always wondered why he wasn't really worried about you being dust, now I know it's because he knew you were still around. I was always afraid I'd never find you because you'd been dusted and I'd never know it happened. We really need to update the stupid vampire books. They're missing a lot of important stuff."

Spike chuckled, "Probably 'cause slayers don't tend to chat up the vamp 'fore they dust 'em."

She giggled, "Yeah. Most of you guys aren't really chatty anyway. It's all growl, lunge, bite. Then boom. Dust. You and Angel should write down your history and general stuff about vampires, like the whole _we can feel each other so we know when one of us dusts _thing."

"I'm surprised Angel didn't tell you I was dust to keep you from lookin' for me."

"Oh, he never had a problem with me trying to find you. He did make me wait until I was eighteen before he'd let me go out on my own, but before that he'd send someone with me to check out the places close to LA. It wasn't the finding you part that had him worried, it was the me loving you part. Remember, Dru had already told him I'd find you; of course, he didn't tell **me** that. Annoying damn vampire."

Spike laughed, "So he had no problem with us fightin' to save the world together, he just didn't want us to **be** together."

"Uh… yeah… pretty much. But that was before. Now I think he's fine with it, but it really doesn't matter if he is. Once the Claim is set, he really doesn't have much say in the matter, does he?"

Spike grinned. "Nope. Once Duncan accepts you, that's it, you're family, and the poof can go pound sand."

She squeezed his hand. "So, back to the point, how do I let myself get into it when it's not you?"

"It's just shaggin', pet. Just let your body respond. You'll be fine."

She laughed bitterly, "Yeah, just have sex with my husband's brother while my husband watches me. It's not _just shagging_, Spike. This is so bizarre. My husband is encouraging me to have sex with another man. His brother no less! That's like six hundred kinds of wrong. Can't you just… um… get me close and then let Duncan…"

"No, kitten. I can't touch you at all once the ritual starts. It's a test."

"A test of what? How big a ho I am?"

He squeezed her fingers. "No, pet. It's a test of… uh… your willingness to join my line and my devotion to it."

"Well that's just… not fair! Why aren't you the one who has to have sex with some random vampire?"

Spike chuckled, "If you were a vamp and you were older than me or from a more powerful clan, then it **would** be me."

"I am older than you."

"Uh… no you're not."

She sat up and looked at him. "Key. Hello. I've been in existence since before recorded time. Older."

He burst out laughing, "I guess you've got me there, pet. You're older, but you're not a vampire and you don't have a family line."

She laid back down. "No, I guess not, but if you wanted to count my sort-of family, then you would've had to have sex with my Dad, since Buffy and Mom are both dead."

Spike barked laughter, "Your Da's not that bad lookin'. Think he'd fancy a shag with the Big Bad?"

Dawn shuddered. "Ew… yeah, Duncan is the better choice. And thanks a lot for the visual. I am so not gonna get that picture out of my head anytime soon."

Spike's fingers gently trailed across her stomach. "Your _sort-of _family?"

Dawn nodded. "Yeah. They weren't really my family; those monks just stuck them with me 'cause Buffy was the Slayer. If Faith had actually had a family, **they** probably would've been stuck with me."

"Your Mum loved you, Bit, and I'm sure Buffy did too."

Dawn shrugged. "Yeah, and I loved them, but I'm not really theirs." She sighed, "I do miss Mom, though."

Spike smiled sadly. "Yeah, your Mum was a classy lady."

Dawn said quietly, "She liked you, you know. I think she'd be happy that we're together."

The road suddenly blurred and Spike blinked quickly to clear it then whispered, "You think so?"

Dawn reached for his hand and grasped it tightly in hers. "Yeah. I think so." She was quiet for a long minute. "So if Dru was still around…"

"Yeah."

"I've never done anything like that before."

Spike chuckled, "Don't think I'd mind watchin' that so much."

She turned her head and gently bit his thigh as she giggled, "Perv."

He grinned as he twirled a strand of her hair around his fingers. "Yep."

"So, you can't touch me, but can you look at me?"

"Pretty much the whole point of the thing, luv. I have to watch. Everything."

"So you can give me that look, you know, the one that makes my knees go all wobbly?"

He chuckled, "I think I can manage that, pet, now go to sleep."

He softly caressed her belly as he stared out at the black highway and lost himself in his thoughts. *_I'm scared, Dawn. Actually I'm bloody terrified. The ritual is a test of how strong your love is for me, but I can't tell you that. I know we have something, but we haven't been together that long. All I can think of is how Buffy told me, after she'd kicked me to the curb, that the feelings we had were only __**real**__ for me. What if that's what's happening now? What if you don't really love me as much as you think you do?*_

X

XXXX

X

Watching the road slipping under the front of the car in the darkness was relaxing and hypnotizing, so Spike didn't notice the flashing lights in the rear view mirror until the car behind him blew its horn. He startled and muttered, "Bloody hell!" as his eyes settled on the mirror. He looked back over his shoulder, cursing quietly under his breath, then pulled off to the side of the road and rolled to a stop.

He gently shook Dawn. "Pet? Wake up, luv. We've been bloody pulled over."

Dawn sat up slowly, stretching and rubbing her eyes as she turned toward the back of the car and blinked at the flashing red and blue lights washing over them. She looked at Spike and smiled as his hair turned red then blue then red. He tilted his head. "What?"

"Your hair. The lights are making it change color. It's cute."

He grinned at her even as he growled, "Got a bit more important things to be worried about, kitten. We haven't passed the state line yet."

Dawn looked back at the cop car and frowned. "Well, if they knew who they'd pulled over, they'd probably have their guns out ordering you to get out of the car by now. Since they're just sitting there, my guess is you got tagged for speeding." She grinned at him. "You're a very bad man."

He chuckled, "Yeah, but you love me anyway." *_At least I hope with every fiber of my undead being that you do.*_

She scooted close and nibbled up his neck as she scratched her nails across his chest through his shirt. "You know it."

He turned his head and pulled her into a kiss then started sliding his hand up her leg when there was a knock on his window. He broke the kiss and rolled down the window. "'Ello, officer, what can I do for you?"

"Do you have any idea how fast you were going?"

Spike smiled at the small man standing next to the car. "Can't say, but I'm guessin' it was faster than what's allowed, yeah?"

The officer smiled. "Yeah. Quite a bit, actually. I need to see your license and registration."

Spike frowned. "Um… yeah. About that. I don't have one."

The officer backed up a step. "You don't have a license?"

"No, sir."

The officer's hand moved to the butt of his weapon as he backed up a few more steps. "Please step out of the vehicle and keep your hands where I can see them."

Spike opened the door and stepped out with his hands raised. "Now mate, there's no need to get violent. I was just speedin', not murderin' someone."

The officer looked him over. White male, white hair, black coat. His hand trembled as he unsnapped his weapon and wrapped his fingers around it. "You're him. The subject from the diner."

Spike chuckled as he stepped sideways to get Dawn out of the line of fire. "You got me, mate. I'm him." He held his wrists together with his arms extended and grinned. "I'll go quietly, officer. Don't want any trouble."

Dawn started to step out of the car and Spike looked at her and shook his head. The officer noticed the movement and held his hand up to her in a _**stop**_ gesture. "Stay where you are, miss. As of now you aren't in any trouble, but if you interfere, then you will be."

Dawn's phone started vibrating on the dash and she muttered, "Fine. Whatever," as she reached up to grab it. She flipped it open and put it to her ear. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I noticed. Thanks for the update."

"No. We're fine, just wait and we'll be there soon."

"'Kay. See ya."

She flipped the phone closed and looked out at the highway in front of the car then smiled at the tiny red tail lights speeding away. She leaned out of the car and glanced at the officer then looked at Spike. Neither one had moved, well if you don't count the obvious trembling of the officer. She smiled up at Spike. "They're gonna wait on the other side of that thing."

Spike nodded as he stepped slowly toward the officer. "Alright mate, let's get this show on the road, yeah? Don't fancy standin' about all night."

The officer pulled his weapon and trained it on Spike's chest as he reached around behind him to get his handcuffs. Spike looked over his shoulder to make sure the officer's weapon wasn't pointing anywhere near Dawn then looked back at the officer. *_Stop wavin' that bleedin' gun around, you git. If Dawn gets killed 'fore the Claim is set, she might stay dead and I'll be buggered if I'm gonna let some podunk Barney Fife kill my woman.* _He stopped walking when he was close enough for the officer to reach out and touch then stood and waited while the man fumbled with the handcuffs. "Sometime today would be bloody fantastic, mate."

The officer's gun skittered around and his voice cracked as he said in a _I'm trying to be commanding, but I'm scared shitless _voice, "Just don't move." He finally succeeded in getting a good grip on the cuffs and snapped one over Spike's right wrist. He let go of the cuffs and moved his hand down to take hold of the other ring and Spike's grin turned decidedly evil as his right hand darted forward and clamped onto the officer's left forearm. He jerked him forward and plowed his left fist into the officer's face, snapping his head back and knocking him out. The gun dropped from the officer's fingers and bounced off the toe of Spike's boot then landed on the asphalt.

Spike held the officer off the ground by his arm then hauled him up and threw him over his shoulder. He started for the cruiser and nodded at the gun lying in the road. "Could you get that for me, luv?" He dropped the officer down into the driver's seat of his car then fished around in his pockets until he came up with the handcuff keys. He unlocked the cuff from his wrist and chucked the keys into the field next to the road then bent down and cuffed the officer to his steering wheel.

Dawn walked up carrying the pistol and Spike took it from her, wiped it down with his shirt, and tossed it onto the passenger side floorboard. He leaned into the car and fastened the officer's seat belt then turned the radio off and closed the door. Dawn was giggling when he turned around. "Somethin' funny?"

She took his hand as they walked back to the DeSoto. "Yeah. I kind of feel sorry for the guy. He's gonna wake up cuffed to his own car with his own cuffs. I mean, how embarrassing is that?"

Spike smirked. "Could be worse, pet. Time was, I would've drained him and left him lyin' in the middle of the road without even gettin' out of my car. He got off easy."

Dawn stopped at the open door and leaned up for a kiss then climbed into the car. Spike climbed in after her then shut the door and peeled out, kicking up a huge cloud of dust as the car shot down the highway.


	75. Chapter 75 The Ritual

Not Long to Wait

Ch 75 – The Ritual

Spike tapped the bell on the counter then turned around and propped his elbows on it as he surveyed the empty lobby. The hotel was pretty high end and the lobby was full of plush couches and overstuffed chairs. He heard someone step up behind him and turned with a smile on his face. "Mornin, pet. Need four rooms."

The desk clerk nodded and started tapping away on her computer then handed him a small slip of paper. "I'll need a credit card and please fill this out."

He looked at the slip of paper and frowned as he muttered under his breath. "Buggerin' forms. Shouldn't have to fill out a bloody form just to get a bed to sleep in."

Duncan reached around him and plucked the paper out of his hand then laid it on the counter and started filling it out. Spike was about to speak when Duncan held up his hand. "I've got this." His voice dropped so low that only Spike could hear him. "I've spoken to Angel about the incident with the room and the beating and he told me to use the firm's card from here on in. He wants to keep you and Dawn off anybody's radar until we get to Vegas. Apparently handcuffing a cop to his own car wasn't appreciated and with the diner thing, you've pissed off a lot of people. Every cop in that state and probably this one is looking for you and it's gone from bring you in, to shoot first ask questions later. Also, Dawn really needs to call Giles. He called Angel and Angel said he wasn't happy."

Spike chuckled, "So Peaches is frettin' over little old me? Gee, I didn't know he cared. You didn't tell him 'bout the Claim, did you?"

Duncan shook his head as he handed the paper and a credit card to the clerk. "Not my place. I figured if you wanted him to know, you'd tell him."

Spike chuckled, "Don't really need to tell him. He'll feel it as soon as the Claim is set."

The clerk ran the card and handed it back then tapped some more on her computer and handed Duncan four key cards. "The elevators are over there. Your rooms are on the fifth floor. Please enjoy your stay."

Duncan handed Spike two key cards as they walked back out to the cars. Spike opened the passenger door of Duncan's car and almost spilled a sleeping Trevor out onto the pavement. Spike's hand shot out and caught him before he pitched out of the car and shook him awake. "Oi! Wake up! Here's your key. Go find your room and go to bed."

Trevor nodded and took the key then climbed out of the car and stumbled toward the hotel. Duncan walked up to him and handed him a bag then pointed him toward the door. "See you later, Trev."

Trevor mumbled and waved his hand back over his shoulder, "Yeah. Later."

Spike chuckled as he shut the door and looked up at Duncan. "You ready for this, mate? Got any more blanks need fillin' in 'fore we get started?"

Duncan ducked his head and suddenly looked very interested in something on the ground by his feet. "Um… yeah… I guess I'm ready. We have to do this now?"

Spike nodded and fingered the bite on his neck. "I'm almost healed, mate. Need to get it done. Soon."

Duncan sighed as he walked over to the trunk of his car. "All right. That's why you got four rooms, huh? One for the ritual?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. Didn't figure any of us would want to be in that room once it's done."

Duncan pulled out his backpack and slammed the trunk then tried to give Spike another key card. "Do we need anything for the ritual?"

Spike shook his head. "You keep that one, mate. Dawn'll open the door for us. And we don't need anythin' but the three of us and a room and we don't really need the room. You know the incantations, right?"

"Yeah. Don't understand any of it, but I can say them."

"I don't understand 'em either, but we don't need to understand it to know what it does." He snagged Duncan's arm as he walked past. "You're gonna be the one in control. You know that, right? She's gonna follow your lead, so you have to be confident in what you're doin' or she's gonna get scared."

Duncan nodded. "I know, Spike."

"I know you probably don't have a lot of experience, but Harm should've taught you somethin', yeah?"

Duncan grinned. "Yeah, she showed me a few things." His grin turned to a frown. "I know I'm not going to be anywhere near as good as you are. I just don't want to embarrass myself, you know?"

Spike clapped him on the back. "You're a vampire, Duncan. Pleasurin' a partner is somethin' we're very good at. Let the demon take over a bit and you'll do just fine."

Duncan looked at him, not quite believing what he'd said. "If you say so, but I still think she's going to laugh me out of the room."

They both startled when Dawn said from behind them, "I wouldn't do that, Duncan. We're both nervous, but we'll get through it. Ok?"

Spike turned and pulled her into his arms. "How're you feelin', pet?"

She smiled. "Ok. That little nap did me a world of good. We should go. Your neck is almost healed; we're running out of time."

He nodded. "I'll get the bags and meet you up there, yeah?"

"I'll grab one." She looked around the quiet parking lot. "Where's Trevor?"

"Sent the lad up to bed. He was dead on his feet… well not dead… I'm dead… oh bugger, you get the idea."

Dawn and Spike dropped their bags in their room and Dawn fished out her bathrobe then followed Spike to _the room._ It looked like any other brightly lit, run-of-the-mill hotel room, but somehow it _felt _different. It felt dark and sinister. She looked at the king size bed, dressed in a light blue duvet and covered in pillows of all shapes and sizes then closed her eyes and shuddered. *_That's where I'm about to cheat on the man I love._ _With him watching me.* _ She draped the bathrobe across a chair and sat down uneasily on the edge of it, twining her fingers together in her lap as she stared at the floor in front of her feet.

Spike dropped to his knees in front of her and gently lifted her chin. "It'll be ok, luv." He was trying to show her nothing but strength and calm. Trying not to let the abject terror he was feeling leak out. He'd been close to being dusted on numerous occasions, but any fear he'd felt then paled in comparison to what he was feeling now. *_She says she loves me and I believe her, but if she doubts it even a little and the Claim is denied… I'll dust Duncan and Peaches myself 'fore I let either one of 'em harm her, then I'll dust myself to spare her the sight of seein' me die slow.*_

She nodded faintly and stared at his face, drinking him in and memorizing every line, every curve. She reached up and lightly traced her fingers over his scarred eyebrow then trailed them over his cheekbone and down across his lips. She slid her fingers into his hair, marveling at how soft it was at the nape of his neck then pulled him close and lightly brushed her lips across his. She gently licked his lip, begging entrance, and he obliged, opening his mouth and deepening the kiss. Their tongues tangled and slid over one another as he snaked his arms around her and pulled her off the chair to kneel flush against him.

They heard the key card slide into the door and they broke apart, both breathing hard. Dawn got up and perched on the edge of the chair again as Duncan walked in, staring at the carpet. He stopped in the middle of the room and stammered, "Uh… where… do I need to be?"

Spike pointed to the bed as he got to his feet. "Just stand over there, mate. I'll take this chair." He took Dawn's hand and led her over to Duncan who was standing next to the bed looking anywhere but at Dawn. "You stand here, kitten." He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss then whispered in her ear, "I love you."

She swallowed a huge lump in her throat and managed to whisper, "I love you, too."

Spike backed up and dropped into the chair with the bathrobe. "Pet, when he bites you, you need to say that you belong to me."

She looked over at him. "So I just say, _I'm Spike's_?"

"No, you have to use my given name. You have to say, _I belong to William._"

She nodded and glanced nervously at Duncan as she twisted the hem of her shirt in her fingers. "That's all I have to say?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. Duncan will do the rest."

She turned and sat on the edge of the bed then jumped back to her feet like a scalded cat. "Um… could you give me a quick rundown of what's gonna happen?"

Spike sat forward and propped his elbows on his knees. "First, Duncan is gonna say an incantation. That starts the ritual. Then you two shag. You'll bite him first and say you belong to me. Then he'll bite you and say another incantation. Then I have to bite you on my Claiming mark and that's it. The ritual's finished and our Claim is set."

"How will I know when to bite him?"

"You'll know, pet."

"How much of his blood do I need to drink?"

"Not much, but you do have to swallow some. No more than a mouthful or two."

She nodded then took a deep breath and looked up at Duncan. "Let's do this."

Duncan glanced nervously at Spike. "So just say the first one?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. Whenever you're ready."

Duncan looked back at Dawn and took a deep breath. "Ok. Here goes." He started chanting in a strange, guttural language, his features shifting back and forth between human and demon as his voice got louder. Dawn looked over at Spike who was sitting forward in the chair, staring at her intently. She mouthed, "I love…" then her gaze snapped to Duncan as he finished the incantation with a shout.

Dawn stepped toward the tall man standing in front of her looking at her with a feral gleam in his eye. She reached up and slowly started unbuttoning his shirt then leaned in and licked and nibbled down his chest as more and more skin was exposed. When she reached the last button, she pushed the shirt off his shoulders and leaned in to suck on a nipple as he pulled the shirt off his arms and let it drop to the floor. She trailed her fingers lightly over his muscled chest and down his well-defined stomach as he moaned low in his throat.

She was vaguely aware of someone else in the room, but she didn't know who it was and didn't really care. All she saw was the large dark haired man with the shining green eyes.

He reached for her, lifting her easily, and pulled her into a blistering kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She ground into him as he started to work the tiny buttons of her shirt. He growled as his large fingers fumbled with the buttons and finally ripped the shirt off her with a snarl. She leaned back, locking her fingers behind his neck as he caressed her breasts and roughly pinched her nipples.

XXXX

Dawn turned to look at him as Duncan was chanting. She started to mouth something then snapped her head around to look at Duncan. She started unbuttoning his shirt and licking his chest and Spike broke into a huge grin and rolled his shoulders as if a heavy weight had just been lifted off him. If he smiled any wider, his head would split right in two. *_She really loves me. With everything she is.* _Warmth bloomed through his chest as Duncan picked her up and Spike laid his hand over his silent heart. *_If my heart could beat, it would break my chest.*_

Duncan turned and laid her on the bed, plundering her mouth with his tongue. He nipped and licked down her neck then took a nipple in his mouth and sucked hard. She moaned and tangled her fingers through his dark hair as he kissed down her stomach. He tore her skirt down the middle and jerked the mangled cloth from beneath her then licked across her core and delved deep. His tongue worked her hard and fast as she thrust against his face and fisted her hands in his hair to pull him even closer.

Spike's pants were getting too tight. *_Bloody hell, the sounds she makes. I could come just from listening to that.* _She was writhing on the bed, moaning and panting as Duncan worked her. Spike popped the buttons of his jeans to ease the pressure then leaned back in the chair and watched with a lazy gaze as she clamped her thighs tight around Duncan's head and screamed. *_Not too bad, Dunc. Guess Harm's a pretty good teacher.*_

Duncan got to his feet as Dawn sat up. She licked and nibbled her way across the muscles of his stomach as she unsnapped his jeans and pulled the zipper down. She slid them down over his hips and paused for a few seconds as something niggled at the back of her mind. *_Zipper? What happened to his button fly jeans?* _The niggling thought flew right out of her head when Duncan reached for her breasts and pinched the nipples. She moaned as she pulled him close and took him into her mouth. He toed off his shoes and stepped out of his jeans then his fingers tangled in her hair and he growled loudly as she took him deep. She bobbed her head, swirling her tongue around him until he was panting and thrusting his hips erratically. She looked up at him when his grip tightened on her head then let him go and scooted up the bed, pulling him with her. He settled in between her legs and slid into her with a loud moan.

Spike watched Dawn's head bob and smirked at the groans and growls of pleasure from Duncan. *_Too bad you won't remember any of this, Dunc. Hated to do that to you, mate, but I couldn't have you goin' crackers on me 'cause of this. Just had to dig back in my memories to find that special Claiming incantation Darla told me about. It's only different by a few words, but it'll wipe your memories of this entire thing. I probably should feel bad for makin' you forget the best shag you've ever had… but… nope. I don't.* _He grinned. _ *Yeah. Still evil.*_

She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he thrust slow and deep. She could feel the pressure building as his thrusts sped up and she angled her hips to take him even deeper. Suddenly the urge to bite was strong, too strong to be ignored. She pulled him down to her and sank her teeth into his neck. He yelled as she pulled a few mouthfuls then turned her head away from his bleeding neck and shouted, "I belong to William!" She clenched as the waves of pleasure hit her unexpectedly and screamed into his shoulder until she was breathless.

He thrust deep and hard as he buried his fangs into the unmarked flesh on the other side of her neck. He started drinking, pulling hard at the bite, then tensed and threw his head back, roaring at the ceiling. The roar changed to chanting as his head lowered to her shoulder and she slid her fingers into his hair, holding him close. She could feel his features shifting back and forth as the chanting got quieter and finally stopped altogether. They both laid there panting until Dawn opened her eyes and saw dark hair threaded through her fingers instead of white.

She yelped and threw Duncan off her with a violent shove then bolted up and snatched a large pillow to cover her nakedness. Duncan tumbled off the end of the bed and hit the floor with a thud. He sat up shaking his head then scrambled to his feet, almost jumping into his jeans as he mumbled, "I'm sorry," over and over.

Dawn just sat with her eyes squeezed shut, clutching the pillow to her front until she felt the bed shift. Spike sat down behind her and pulled her into his arms, wrapping her bathrobe around her. "It's almost over, pet. I just need to bite you."

Duncan snatched up his shirt and shoes and started for the door. Spike looked up at him. "Ta, mate."

Duncan stopped with his shoulders hunched and whispered, "Yeah. You're welcome." He quickly pulled the door open then disappeared through it, letting it slam behind him.

Dawn moved her hair off her neck and leaned back into Spike as he bent his head and sank his fangs into the raw flesh of his Claiming bite. She gasped as he pulled a few mouthfuls then slid his fangs out and gently licked the bite closed. He buried his face in her hair and whispered, "I belong to Dawn."

Suddenly they both clenched and fell backwards, writhing and moaning as their bites pulsed. Heat flowed from the marks as they broke open and spilled hot, steaming blood onto the bed. The blood mixed, releasing a swirl of sparkling gray smoke that surrounded them in a large cloud, prickling and slicing at their skin like thousands of tiny knife points. Their faces twisted in pain as the cloud of smoke shrank down until it was laying over them like a second skin. They both tensed as their eyes flew open, blindly staring at the ceiling, their mouths open in silent screams. The smoke turned an inky black then blinked out of existence with a loud pop.


	76. Chapter 76 Family

Not Long to Wait

Ch 76 – Family

Angel suddenly bolted to a sitting position, causing Willow to slide off his chest and land face down on the mattress with a thump, startling her awake. She rolled over and sat up sleepily then gently caressed his back as she whispered, "What's wrong?"

Angel shook his head, trying to clear it, and growled, "Spike."

Willow looked around the dark room, then at the clock, then blinked at Angel. "What about him?"

"He's Claimed Dawn. They're mated."

Willow's brow furrowed as she picked up her cell phone from the bedside table and looked at it then put it back down. "How do you know? My phone didn't ring and I didn't hear yours either. It's not broken again, is it?"

He lay back down and pulled Willow back onto his chest, slowly rubbing his hand over her back. "No, my phone's fine. I felt it. They must've just completed the Claiming ritual. Dawn's part of my line now. She's an Aurelian."

"Mated. Is that like married?"

Angel nodded. "Yeah, sort of. Close as a vampire can get, anyway."

"Are you going to call her?"

He shook his head. "Not right now, they'll both be passed out for a while. I'll call this evening."

"Will being mated change either of them?"

"No, not really. The main thing that would change is she'd be immortal if she wasn't already. There will be other small things, like they'll be able to sense each other." Willow lifted her head just a little and Angel chuckled, "I know they could already sense each other, it'll just be a lot stronger, so no, not much will change for them at all." He sighed, "This could be interesting. I don't think there's ever been a vampire that's Claimed a Slayer. If the Aurelian line wasn't already one of the most powerful and respected clans, this would sure shoot us right to the top."

Willow was quiet for a long time as she gently trailed her fingers over his chest. "What would it do to your clan standings to add a powerful witch?"

Angel's head flew off the pillow and he goggled at her. "You want to be my mate?"

She lifted herself up on one elbow and looked into his eyes as she giggled, "Yes, I do, but you're gonna have to ask me again. I want the ring and the flowers and the champagne when you propose to me next time."

X

XXXX

X

Dawn's nose itched. She reached up with a sleepy hand to scratch it and bumped up against something hard and unyielding. She cracked one eye then smiled as she opened them fully and gazed into the bright blue eyes of the man staring down at her. She slid her hand gently down his cheek then moved it to the back of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. When she broke away to catch her breath, he leaned back up on his elbow and grinned. "Evenin', pet."

She raised her arms over her head and stretched then smiled up at him and sighed, "Evening, baby." She reached up and gently traced her fingers over the mark on his neck, smiling when his eyes drifted shut and he moaned softly. "So, did it work? Are we mated?"

He was about to speak when Dawn's phone started vibrating on the nightstand. He reached over her and snagged it then grinned as he flipped it open and pushed the speaker button. "Evenin', Peaches. What can I do for you?"

"Mated?"

"Yep."

"Duncan did the ritual?"

Spike chuckled, "Don't recall seein' your ugly mug hangin' about."

"How's Dawn?"

"I'm fine, Angel. Actually, I'm fabulous and awesome and terrific and happier than I've ever been."

Spike laughed, "Now don't hold back, luv. Tell us how you really feel."

Dawn grinned up at him then her brow furrowed. "Hold on a sec. Angel, how did you know? Wait… let me guess, you felt it."

Angel chuckled, "Yeah. Woke me out of a dead sleep. Thanks for that. With all these contract negotiations going on, I've only been getting a few hours a night."

Spike laughed, "You're the bleedin' boss, Peaches. Tell 'em you'll do it when you're bloody good and ready."

Willow giggled, "He can't. Then he'd just have more to do later and I'd see him even less than I do now. Besides, a lot of the demons he's dealing with are pretty cranky. I've had to ward off sections of the conference room just so they don't start killing each other. I don't think they'd like it much if he just didn't show up."

"Sorry 'bout that, Peaches. I'll call ahead and check with your schedule next time, yeah?"

Dawn lightly smacked his arm and mouthed, "Next time?" as Angel laughed.

Spike grinned and shook his head as Willow spoke, "Hey Dawn, I need to talk to you about some stuff when you get a minute."

"Ok, Wils. Um… let me get something to eat and I'll call you in a little while, ok?"

"Ok. We'll let you get back to whatever and congratulations!"

Angel's voice broke in, "Call Giles. Soon."

Dawn chuckled, "Ok, I will. Thanks and talk to you later."

Spike flipped the phone closed and leaned over Dawn to put it back on the nightstand. Her arms wrapped around him and squeezed tight as she nibbled on his shoulder. She licked a lazy trail up his neck and across her mark, making him moan. She smiled against his skin. "It feels that good when I lick or touch my mark?"

He nodded as he opened his eyes. "Yeah. Claim marks are exquisitely sensitive, pet. Let me show you."

He dipped his head and licked gently over his mark and she gasped as a bolt of pleasure shot from her neck straight to her core. He started nibbling and sucking and she gasped and clutched him tighter as the pleasure built then she broke over the edge with a loud moan and lay there quivering and panting. He raised his head and smiled down at her. "See?"

She pulled him into a kiss then murmured against his lips. "I like it. I like it a lot."

He lifted himself up and settled between her legs then slid into her with a slow thrust. "Thought you might." She wrapped her legs around him and angled her hips to take him deep as he lowered his head and nibbled on his mark. Her fingers slid up his arms and over his shoulders to his neck, holding him close. She felt the planes of his face shift, then his fangs were buried deep in her neck as his thrusts became harder and faster. The feelings were stronger this time, almost too intense for her to bear. Her skin felt like it was on fire and his cool skin pressed against hers was the only thing that was keeping her from flaming into ash.

She was grunting with each thrust as she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist and lifted her hips to meet him. She started to clench then stars burst behind her eyes as her fingers dug into his scalp and she arched against him, loosing a blood curdling scream. He slammed into her and his whole body locked as he roared into the bloody bite on her neck.

He collapsed onto her, panting and shaking, then slid his fangs out and gently licked the bite closed. He tried to raise his head, but her fingers were still clamped into his scalp as she gulped air and did a full body shiver every few seconds. Finally she relaxed enough to let go of his head and he lifted it then grinned down at her. She was still panting and her eyes were glazed as she whispered, "Holy shit. I can't feel my legs."

He chuckled as he rolled to her side and snagged the pack of smokes and an ashtray from the nightstand. "You're welcome."

He lit one and held it out to her as she raised a trembling hand to take it from him. "You might want to scoot over just a little. My arms are kind of numb and I don't want to accidentally set you on fire if I drop this."

He laughed, "I'll be fine, kitten." He lit his own smoke and leaned back against the headboard, setting the ashtray on his thigh. He traced his fingers over her forehead and twisted a few loose strands of her hair as she shakily brought the cigarette to her lips and took a deep drag. He opened his mouth to speak then startled, almost dropping his own smoke as someone started pounding on the door. He pulled a blanket over Dawn then moved the ashtray to her belly and climbed off the bed, snagging his robe on the way to the door. He slipped into it then opened the door and stared out at the small group of people with the smoke dangling from his lips. "Yeah?"

The man in the front of the group peered around him, his eyes falling on Dawn still lying on the bed looking dazed. "Is everything all right in here, sir?"

Spike grinned. "Peachy. Why do you ask?"

The man focused on Spike. "Uh… we got several calls about a woman screaming and they all seemed to point to this room." His eyes flicked to Dawn again. "Is she all right?"

Spike turned and looked at Dawn. She gave him a shaky thumbs up and he turned back to the door. "Yeah. She's fine."

The only woman in the group piped up, "What was the screaming about?"

Spike leaned against the door frame and slid his hand sensually down his bare chest as he leered at her through the smoke curling around his head. "What do you think, pet?"

Her eyes followed his hand as it traveled over his pale, chiseled torso, then got wide as it ghosted over the loosely tied belt around his waist and started moving lower. She blushed several shades of red then backed away from the group and started walking quickly down the hallway. Spike chuckled and looked over the rest of the group. "Anythin' else you lot want to know?"

The man in front shook his head. "Um… no sir. Sorry to have bothered you. Please enjoy the rest of your stay."

"Planned on it, mate." Spike backed up and shut the door then walked back over to the bed. He sat down next to Dawn and stubbed his smoke out in the ashtray. "You doin' ok, luv?"

She stubbed out her own smoke and handed him the ashtray with a steadier hand. "I'm good. My legs are all tingly, but my arms aren't numb anymore."

He chuckled, "I guess I can carry you out of here if I have to. We should get on the road, pet."

She frowned. "Yeah."

He reached out and brushed the hair back from her forehead. "What's wrong, kitten?"

She closed her eyes. "Just nervous about seeing Duncan. I probably hurt him when I pushed him off me."

"He's a vampire, luv. We're not that easy to damage. I'm willin' to wager throwin' him off the bed didn't hurt him at all."

She smiled weakly as she stared up at the ceiling. "I didn't mean like that, I'm afraid I hurt his feelings. We're mated because of him. He was only doing what we asked him to and I treated him like shit. He's probably all embarrassed and I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone."

Spike lifted her and pulled her to his chest then wrapped his arms around her. "He's still here, luv. Can't you feel him?"

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the tinglies in the back of her mind. She felt Spike's, strong and bright and pulsing with love. She reached out with her senses to try to feel Duncan and yeah, there he was. Her head tilted as she noticed the differences in their signatures. Before, the tinglies just said 'vampire.' Now they said 'family.'

She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Spike. "I can feel him. It's different, though. I mean the tinglies are the same… well, in the same place, but they're different. I can feel yours a lot stronger and I can feel your love too. I didn't used to be able to feel your feelings like that. I feel Duncan and his signature feels like _family_ instead of just _vampire_. It's weird." She closed her eyes again and tried to feel for Angel. "I can't feel Angel, though. How come?"

"He's too far away, pet. If somethin' happened to him then you'd feel it, but you won't feel him all the time unless he's close."

"But you can feel him, can't you?"

Spike's forehead furrowed as he tried to think of a way to explain. "Uh… well… I don't **feel** him all the time unless he's close; I just know he's there. Um… I knew 'bout Duncan 'fore we met, but I didn't know who he was, I just knew there was another vamp in our family."

"So why didn't you figure out who he was when he first came up to our room?"

"Told you he'd managed to suppress his demon, luv. I felt somethin', but couldn't peg it. Knew there was somethin' different 'bout him, but I didn't start feelin' him proper 'til after he fed from me."

"So if you sired a Childe, Angel and Duncan would know?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Angel wouldn't know if it was me or Dunc that did it, he'd just feel that there was a new family member."

Dawn sighed and started to sit up. "Could you go get Duncan? Might as well get this over with."


	77. Chapter 77 Not Soccer

Not Long to Wait

Ch 77 – Not Soccer

Spike held her to him. "Duncan won't remember anythin' 'bout the ritual."

She relaxed against him and her voice trembled just a bit. "He won't?"

Spike shook his head. "Nope. I had him use a special incantation that wiped his memory. He'll remember comin' to the room, but he won't remember anythin' from the first incantation 'til he went to sleep."

He could feel her relax just a little bit more. "Oh. That's good, I guess. But why?"

Spike shrugged. "Guess some vamp from way back didn't want the instrument of his Claim havin' carnal knowledge of his mate, so he changed the incantation."

"You didn't want Duncan to remember having sex with me?"

He shook his head. "No. With the soul and all I figured it would bollocks him right up. Bog him down with guilt and whatnot. Didn't know for sure, not havin' a soul myself, but I figured better safe than sorry."

"What about you and me? We remember."

"Yeah, we have to 'cause it's necessary for the Claim, luv. What exactly do you remember?"

He could feel the heat rising off her skin as she blushed. "Um… most of it is kind of fuzzy, like I was drunk or something. I remember the sex but it's weird. I know it was Duncan, but it feels like it was you. I remember wondering what happened to your button fly jeans, 'cause you never wear ones with a zipper."

Spike took a deep breath and squeezed her tight. "I've got to tell you somethin' 'bout the ritual that I couldn't tell you before, pet, and I hope you won't be cross with me."

He felt her tense slightly as she whispered, "What is it, Spike?"

He cleared his throat and croaked the words out. "I sort of lied to you when I told you how it was a test."

He felt her tension amp up a few notches. "You lied to me? It wasn't a test?"

His throat seemed to be closing off as he mumbled, "No… uh… it was a test… just not the one I told you it was. It wasn't 'bout your willingness to join my line… it was…" He cleared his throat again and felt the tension humming along her muscles like electricity through a wire. "Um… it was… a test of… um… the strength of your love for me." The last bit came out in a rush and he closed his eyes and held his breath as he waited for her to wrench out of his arms and throw herself from their bed in a fit of righteous anger.

He felt her raise her hands and he tensed, waiting for the inevitable grasping of his arms to throw them off her. He flinched a tiny bit as she laid her fingers lightly on his arms and whispered, "Did I pass?"

His breath exploded from his lungs as his eyes flew open in shock. "What?"

She shifted in his embrace and turned her head to look up at him. "Did I pass?"

His mouth fell open and he gaped at her. "You're not angry that I lied to you?"

She shook her head. "No. You couldn't tell me the truth about it or it would've screwed up the ritual or something, right?" He nodded faintly. "So, did I pass?"

He nodded again and grinned as all the tension left his body and he sagged against the headboard like a wet rag. "Yeah, you did, kitten, with flying colors."

She leaned up and lightly licked across her mark then snuggled into his chest. "Tell me everything."

He chuckled, "Your wish is my command, luv. All right… I was born on a rainy day in London in 1852…"

She poked him in the ribs and giggled, "Not that, you goof. I do want to hear your whole story sometime, but right now I want to know about the ritual."

He gently kissed the top of her head. "All right, pet. What do you want to know?"

"Well, how did you know I'd passed the test? It's not like there was a teacher standing by to grade my paper."

Spike took a deep breath. "Ok… when Duncan started in with the first incantation you looked at me, remember?" She nodded, bumping his chin with the top of her head. "I knew you loved me with everythin' that you are when your attention snapped to Duncan and you started unbuttoning his shirt."

When she looked up at him, her face was incredulous. "So me making Duncan naked means I love **you**?"

He laughed, "Not exactly. The incantation transferred your love for me to Duncan. If your feelings weren't strong or you had any doubts about 'em, then you wouldn't have been able to concentrate fully on him 'cause you would've been lookin' at me or worried 'bout what I was thinkin' or feelin' 'bout the whole thing."

"So in my mind, Duncan became you?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Pretty much. That's why it feels like it was me 'stead of him."

She grinned up at him. "So that's why you aren't all pissed at Duncan and wanting to dust him or all wigged out. Because you knew I thought I was making love to you instead of him?" He nodded. "So who does Duncan think I was?"

"You, pet. Hence the forgettin' bit."

"So he won't remember any of it?"

"Shouldn't. He'll know he was there and that he did shag you 'cause he'll feel you as part of our line, but he won't have any of the particulars."

She chuckled, "So there'll still be some awkward embarrassment, but not the whole shitload." His chest vibrated as he chuckled and she snuggled closer to him. "And he won't remember me launching him off the bed?"

She could feel Spike shake his head then his voice rumbled through his chest and tickled the ear she had pressed to it. "No, luv. He shouldn't remember that."

She turned her head and kissed his chest then sat up and stretched her arms over her head. "Ok then. We really should get going. I'm gonna catch a quick shower, my legs are back now. Where's my robe?"

Spike chuckled as he climbed off the bed and picked up a wad of fabric off the floor. It looked like it might have been white at one time, but now it was streaked with blood and what looked like soot, and the edges of the dozens of cuts in the fabric looked singed. "It got ruined, luv. Sorry."

Her eyes got wide as she looked it over. "What the hell happened to it? I know I've got some blank spots from the ritual, but I'm sure I'd remember running through a burning building while I was bleeding and wrapped in barbed wire."

Spike burst into laughter. "Nothin' was on fire, pet. At the tail end of the ritual we were surrounded by burnin' smoke and our marks were bleedin' all over the place. The bed looks like a bloody bomb went off in the middle of it. Your robe got the worst of it 'cause you were layin' on top of me."

"What about your clothes?"

He bent down and picked up his jeans and a wad of black fabric that used to be a shirt. He shook out the jeans and she noticed dozens of singed holes in the legs. He held up the shirt and she cringed at the large patch of dried blood covering most of the back and one shoulder. "Damn, Spike. How much did we bleed?"

He shrugged. "Not sure. I woke up 'bout three hours later and carted you in here. I felt all right, just knackered, not like I'd bled out or anythin' and you didn't smell like you were in pain or feelin' poorly. You were just passed out."

She climbed off the bed and pulled him into a kiss. "Thank you for bringing me in here. I probably would have wigged out completely if I'd woken up in _that room._" She pulled back and looked at him as she gently ran her fingers over his cheekbone and down his jaw. "Did you get any sleep after you brought me in here?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I had a lie down but couldn't get to sleep so I just wandered 'round the hotel and popped into the restaurant for a bite."

She cupped his cheek gently and ran her thumb over his cheekbone. "I can drive this time if you want to sleep."

He shook his head. "Nah, luv. I'll be fine."

She grinned at him. "You just don't want me driving your car, right?"

He laughed, "You found me out, pet."

She smacked him on the arm as she chuckled her way to the bathroom. "You are such a man, Spike. Next thing I know you'll be sitting on the couch watching football and drinking beer with your hand down your pants."

He followed her over to the bathroom and chuckled, "The beer I could do, but I'll only watch a proper Manchester United football match, and I doubt very much it would be **my** hand down my pants, kitten."

She stopped and turned to face him with her hands on her hips and a grin on her face. "What are you saying, Spike?"

He smirked. "Just that you like playin' with your favorite toy, luv. Me."

She walked up to him and circled around him, reaching down to pinch his backside as she passed behind him. "You are a very fun toy to play with, baby, but I don't think you'd get much soccer watching done if I was with you." She stopped in front of him and leaned up to catch his bottom lip in her teeth, suckling it gently as his eyes drifted shut and his hands trailed up her arms to tangle in her hair.

She nibbled across his jaw as her fingers untied the belt holding his robe closed then she murmured against her mark on his neck. "You're breaking the contract, Spike. You have clothes on. I must punish you now."

He gasped as she pushed the robe off his shoulders with one hand while her other hand gripped him firmly and started stroking. He let the robe drop and moaned deep in his throat as she dropped to her knees and took him in her mouth. She worked him deep and slow as he thrust his hips and growled loudly every time she swallowed around him. His fingers tightened their grip on her hair as he tensed and released with a low roar, thrusting deep into her throat. She gripped his thighs and steadied him as he twitched and panted then let him go and smiled up at him. "Let that be a lesson, Mr. Man. You shouldn't break our contract."

He grinned down at her as he pulled her to her feet. "I'm a very bad man, pet, and if that's the type of punishment I can expect, then I see a lot of contract breakin' in my future." He pulled her close and captured her lips with his, murmuring, "And it's football, kitten. Not soccer."

She giggled, "Fine. Football. I'm gonna go get that shower." She walked back into the bathroom and called over her shoulder, "Don't you need to shower?"

"No, did that earlier when I couldn't sleep. I'm gonna go round up the chaps and get the car loaded. I'll leave you some clothes and we'll meet you down to the restaurant, ok?"

He heard the shower turn on as she called back, "Ok. See you down there. Love you."

He smiled as he pulled some of her clothes out of a bag and set them on the bed then walked around the room gathering up loose items. He took out some clothes for himself and quickly pulled them on then picked up his robe and stuffed it into the bag. He zipped up the bag and shouldered both duffels then poked his head into the steamy bathroom on his way to the door. "Love you, kitten. See you soon."


	78. Chapter 78 The New Member

Not Long to Wait

Ch 78 – The New Member

Several sets of eyes looked up and stared at her when she stepped into the restaurant, but they weren't the ones she was looking for. She quickly scanned the room then smiled and started toward the twinkling blue eyes staring at her from across the restaurant. The long, flowing skirt he'd picked out swished around her legs as she weaved her way through the full dining room. She stopped at his table and grinned as she picked at the skimpy tank top she was wearing. "Hope you left my duster out where I can get at it. Might get a little chilly wearing this."

She dropped into the booth next to him and he slid his arm around her shoulders then reached over and trailed his fingers lightly across her bare belly, tracing along her rose tattoo. "You look delicious, pet."

She giggled at his tickling touch as she lifted one leg to show him her foot. "Thanks, baby, but my motorcycle boots don't really go with this outfit and the shirt that goes with this skirt is a long sleeved peasant blouse."

He laughed, "Sorry 'bout that, kitten. Wasn't really thinkin' 'bout matchin' your shoes, you know, being male and all, and I like this shirt better." His hand slipped under the tank top as he turned her so that her back was to the rest of the diners. She gasped as his fingers skated over her nipple then pinched it gently.

She leaned close and giggled against her mark on his neck. "You would. Guess that's what I get for letting a horny vampire pick out my clothes." She licked across the bite, smiling as he groaned, and her hand drifted to the now very large bulge in the front of his jeans.

He pulled her close and growled into her hair, "We should stop, pet, or we're gonna get kicked out of here and you still need to eat."

She nibbled on her mark, making him groan again. "Got all I need to eat right here." His hips bucked toward her as she squeezed him through his jeans and he started sliding toward the edge of the seat, pushing her along in front of him. She lifted her head from his neck. "Where you going?"

He growled low in his chest, "Gonna take you back up to the room and shag you blind."

A nervous giggle from the edge of the table drew their attention and they both looked to see who it was. A blushing waitress was standing there holding a stack of menus and a tray full of water glasses. Spike sighed and slid back over, dropping his hand out of Dawn's shirt. Dawn lifted her hand from his jeans then turned and folded her fingers together on the table top as she smiled up at the waitress. "Hi."

She stammered, "Uh… hi," then cleared her throat and tried again. "Welcome to Emilio's, my name is Tammy, and I'll be your server this evening. What can I get you to drink?"

Spike smiled as he nodded toward the empty side of the table. "Got a few mates joinin' us, so could you be a peach and pop back in a few, pet?"

The waitress blushed as his deep baritone voice washed over her, then nodded and put down four glasses of water and four menus. "I'll be back a little later."

Dawn nodded at her then turned to look at Spike. "Where are the guys, anyway?"

He adjusted himself and leaned back a little. "Still packin' up the car, I expect. Duncan was still passed out when I went to fetch 'im. Pounded on the soddin' door for an age 'fore he finally answered it."

"Is he ok?"

Spike shrugged then nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. He wasn't all that chatty, so I left him to get cleaned up."

Dawn picked up her phone. "Guess I could call Giles while we're waiting."

Spike's hand slipped under her skirt and started making its way up her leg as his tongue curled behind his teeth. "I can think of other things we could do to pass the time, luv."

She giggled as she clamped her hand down on Spike's. "Thought you didn't want to get thrown out of here."

He withdrew his hand as he growled and reached down to adjust himself again. "You're killin' me, luv. Need to get some larger denims if I'm gonna be hard as stone all the bloody time. It's startin' to hurt."

She leaned close and nibbled on his pouty bottom lip. "I'm sorry, baby. I'll fix you up before we leave, ok?"

He pulled her into a long, slow kiss then pressed his forehead to hers. "Not your fault, pet, and I shouldn't be takin' it out on you. Just a little tired, is all."

She threaded her fingers into his hair. "It **is** my fault. I shouldn't get you all worked up and then expect you to sit there quietly; I know it's uncomfortable for you. And I don't want you to get baggy jeans, I like the way your butt looks in these." She looked at her phone, considering for a moment whether they had time for this, then nodded to herself as she quickly untucked Spike's shirt then took his hand and pulled him out of the booth. *_Vegas isn't going anywhere.* _She caught Tammy's eye on the way out of the restaurant and mouthed, "We'll be back." Tammy smirked at her and nodded.

The lust-filled leer plastered on Spike's face made several women blush as Dawn pulled him through the lobby and over to the elevators. She stepped quickly into the first elevator that opened up and pushed Spike into the corner then turned and pressed the fifth floor button. She grinned as the doors closed then turned to Spike and pressed herself up against him, rubbing him through his jeans. He groaned and leaned his head back on the wall as her lips found her mark and she nibbled, flicking her tongue and sucking at the bite. He was growling and thrusting himself against her hand when the doors slid open and three college-age guys stepped into the elevator. They smirked and elbowed each other as Dawn turned around and stood in front of Spike. She smiled sweetly at them as Spike leaned in the corner, gripping the railing and trying to pant quietly.

The doors opened on the fifth floor and Dawn reached behind her to grasp Spike's hand then led him out of the elevator and down the hall to the muffled laughter of the guys in the elevator. She heard one whisper, "Looks like that dude's about to get extremely lucky."

She looked back over her shoulder then licked her lips as the doors closed, smirking at the three wide eyed stares. She stopped in front of their room and held her hand over the lock as Spike's arms circled her from behind. He was nuzzling her neck and rubbing himself on her ass as she opened the door and they stumbled inside. He kicked the door closed and they made their way across the room with Dawn steering them toward the large cushy chair next to the bed. She stopped in front of the chair and turned to face Spike. His eyes were so dark with lust they were almost black. She leaned close and nibbled on his lips then slipped her tongue inside as his fingers slid into her hair. Their tongues battled and danced as her hands slid over his chest and stomach to the hem of his shirt. They broke apart long enough for Dawn to tug his shirt over his head then their mouths met in a furious clashing of teeth and lips.

She quickly popped the buttons of his jeans and slid them down over his hips as her mouth blazed a trail from his lips down across her mark. He shuddered and his hips bucked toward her as she scraped her teeth over the bite. He toed out of his boots and kicked his jeans off then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him as his mouth attacked her neck, nipping and sucking. She turned them both around and pushed him down into the chair then backed up and pushed her skirt down, letting it pool on the floor around her feet as she stepped out of her boots and stripped her shirt off. She dropped the shirt on the floor then stepped to the chair and climbed into it, straddling him as his hands slid up her legs and gripped her hips.

She sank slowly down onto him with a loud moan and braced her hands on the arms of the chair as she moved. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, his mouth clamping onto a nipple and sucking hard as he thrust up into her. She leaned down and fastened her lips to her mark, licking and sucking as she rocked her hips. His hands moved back to her hips and started lifting and slamming her down as his body tensed and he raised his backside off the chair. She bit his neck at her Claim site, not quite breaking the skin, and he yelled as he slammed up into her then dropped down and slammed up into her again and again. His demon came forward as she clenched and screamed into his neck, biting hard enough on her mark to draw blood. He loosed an ear splitting roar and slammed up into her with such force that if he hadn't had a death grip on her hips she would have been launched right out of the chair.

He held that position for what seemed like hours as he convulsed beneath her then he collapsed into the chair and went completely limp. Dawn collapsed with him and rested on him for a while, gently licking at his neck until she got her breathing under control then she sat up and gazed down at her passed out vampire. She grinned at the blissed out look on his face and leaned down; giving him a gentle kiss before she climbed off him and went into the bathroom. She came back with a washcloth and gently wiped the rest of the blood from his neck then started cleaning him up.

He shifted just a bit and opened his eyes just as she was finishing up. She smiled up at him. "You ok?"

He smiled a lazy, sleepy smile down at her. "Brilliant, luv. You?"

She got to her feet with a huge smile still plastered on her face. "I'm awesome. You ready to get dressed and get gone?"

He sat up and snagged her hand before she could step away then pulled her down onto his lap, nuzzling against her neck as he whispered, "Yes. You are."

She pulled back and looked at him in confusion. "I are what?"

He chuckled, "You're awesome, pet, and may I say, you have a stunnin' command of the English language."

She giggled and smacked his arm then climbed off him again and headed for the bathroom. He was stretching his arms over his head when she came back out and bent down to pick up her skirt off the floor. He dropped his arms with a contented sigh and hooked his jeans off the floor with his foot. "How long was I out, luv?"

She pulled her tank top over her head and grinned. "Not very long. Maybe I'm losing my touch."

He leered up at her. "Not bloody likely, kitten. You seem to be gettin' over your fear of hurtin' me. That bite to your mark almost put me in orbit, pet."

She twisted a strand of hair in her fingers. "Yeah, it's getting easier, I guess. I've seen how much it affects you and how much you like it, so I'm not as wigged about it anymore." She looked at him with a serious expression. "You just make sure to let me know if it's ever too much, ok? I'll cause you pain as long as you enjoy it, but if it ever starts being more pain than pleasure, I need you to tell me."

He nodded. "I will, luv, but I don't think you've got too much to worry about." His grin changed to a leer. "If we ever make it to soddin' Vegas, maybe you could break out all the stuff you bought the other day. I'm interested to see what you've in mind for me, pet." She blushed as she went over the items and how she planned to use them in her mind and his leer deepened as he growled low in his chest. "Mmm. Looks like I've some interestin' times comin' up." He stood and pulled his jeans up then caught his shirt when she tossed it at him. "Might have to let you drive after all. I'm havin' a bloody hard time of it keepin' my eyes open, even with all the lusty thoughts currently paradin' across my brain."

She looked at him in pretend shock. "You're actually going to let me drive **your **car? And you're going to sleep while I do?"

He growled as he grinned at her. "Don't push me, woman. Might just change my mind."

She stepped close and wrapped her arms around him. "Yeah, then you'll doze off and wrap us around a tree. You'll have to sleep in the front with me, though, 'cause the back seat still looks like the floor of a slaughterhouse."

He captured her lips in a gentle kiss. "You said somethin' before 'bout gettin' that spell Red uses. You told her you'd call anyway. Maybe ask her about it, yeah?"

She pulled back and smirked at him. "Why? Don't want to be up front with me? Do I smell funny or something?"

He shook his head and chuckled, "No, didn't mean it like that, pet. Just thought I'd remind you, is all."

She giggled, "I'm gonna have to get a secretary to keep track of all the people I need to call." She picked up her phone and flipped it open. "I'll call Wils first, I guess. I should call Giles, but he's probably just gonna yell at me or something and I really don't feel like dealing with that right now. Probably should call Xander too and let him know what's going on."

Spike stepped into his boots then looked at her and tilted his head. "Why would the Watcher be cross with **you**, pet? I'm the one nicked his name and gave it to the bobbies."

"Well, there's that and then there's the Claim. I don't think he's gonna be very happy about it."

Spike grinned. "Let him fuss, pet. Nothin' he can do 'bout it anyway."

She smiled as she started punching buttons. "Yeah. Guess I'll call him first. Get it over with." She punched the speaker button then waited while the tinny sound of an overseas phone ringing drifted up from the speaker.

She heard someone pick up the other end and a tired, somewhat exasperated sounding Watcher barked, "Giles."

"Uh… hi, Giles. It's Dawn."

"Dawn! Thank the Gods! Are you all right?"

"Um… yeah. I'm fine. What's wrong?"

"Are you sure you're all right?"

She threw a questioning look at Spike who just shrugged. "Yes, Giles. I'm wonderful. Is this about Spike giving those cops your name?"

"The… oh. No. That's… no, this isn't about that."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Where is Spike?"

"Right here, Rupert. What's goin' on?"

"Dawn, could I please speak to you privately?"

Spike's eyebrow moved north as Dawn shook her head. "Whatever it is, Spike can hear it too."

Giles sighed, "Very well. Has he done anything recently that you need to tell me about?"

Dawn mouthed to Spike, "He knows about the Claim?"

Spike shrugged and nodded toward the phone then mouthed, "Ask him."

Dawn cleared her throat, "Like what?"

"He hasn't been feeding on anyone?"

A small flash of anger buzzed through her. "No… well… me, but no one else, not really. I mean, he bit this guy that was hassling me at a diner, but he didn't kill him."

"And he hasn't killed anyone since you've been on holiday?"

She was starting to get pissed. "No. Well, no humans anyway. Why?"

"You're sure? You've been with him the entire time?"

Spike opened his mouth to speak but Dawn beat him to the punch, and yeah, now she was pissed. "Oh, for fuck's sake, Giles! What is it about British men that makes you completely incapable of just getting to the fucking point? Just spit out whatever it is you're accusing Spike of already!"

Spike chuckled and dropped down into the chair. "Just the way we're wired, luv. Beatin' 'round the bush is in our genes." Dawn smiled at him and moved over to sit in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as they waited for Giles to stop sputtering.

Finally he cleared his throat. "Yes… uh… quite, I'll get right to the point then. I received word from the Council seers late this morning that there is a new member of the Clan of Aurelius."

Dawn let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "And that's what has you all freaked out? You think Spike sired someone?"

"Well… yes."

Dawn and Spike both burst out laughing and Spike choked out, "What makes you think it was me, Watcher? M' not the only vamp in the family."

"I realize that, but Angel and Duncan are both souled, so it would be highly unlikely that they could or would turn anyone."

Spike's smile turned to an angry scowl in the blink of an eye. "And 'cause I'm just a soulless **thing** you assume the worst right off the bloody bat. Thanks ever so for givin' me the benefit of the fuckin' doubt, Rupert." He slid out from under Dawn and stomped into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him hard enough to crack the door frame.

Dawn's eyes followed him across the room as they filled with tears. Her attention was brought back to the phone when Giles spoke, "Dawn, are you still there? Has Spike gone?"

She sighed tiredly, "Yeah. To both."

"All right. Down to business then. The seers are working on ascertaining the identity of the newest member. The Clan of Aurelius is far too powerful to allow _another_ soulless vampire of their line to walk the earth. I need to know if you intend to take care of the situation."

"Take care of… you mean stake them? You want me to stake the new member and Spike?"

"Yes. Although I know you have feelings for Spike, I was remiss in allowing your relationship with him."

Dawn gritted out, "You **allowed **our relationship? Seriously? What makes you think you have any say in anything I do? I'll be with Spike because I want to, not because you **allow** it, Giles."

"He doesn't have a soul, Dawn. He'll always be a monster. This incident more than proves that. He gave his word, then turned his back on it and sired a Childe. Because of that, we cannot allow him to continue to exist. It is your duty, but the Council will send a team to handle it if you feel that you cannot."

Dawn's teeth ground together as she snarled, "Un-fucking-believable. You're going to have Spike killed without a shred of evidence that says he even did anything wrong!"

"The seers are quite confident in their findings, Dawn. There is a new Aurelian clan member and seeing that Spike is the only member without a soul, it follows that he was the one who created it. Apparently, he's done this without your knowledge. He can't be trusted, Dawn. I'm sorry that you were wrong about him, but it's time to end his charade. He must be destroyed."

The hand not holding the phone clenched into a white-knuckled fist as she growled, "Giles, I am so completely fucking tired of you treating Spike like shit. You want to know who the new member is? It's me. I'm the newest member of the Clan of Aurelius. And before you even open your fucking mouth… no… Spike didn't **Sire** me, he Claimed me and I Claimed him. We're mated, so stick that in your fucking pipe and smoke it. And if I see one fucking idiot from the Council anywhere near Spike, I'll **kill** them. Now **fuck** off." She flipped the phone closed and dropped it to the floor then got up and walked over to the bathroom. She knocked quietly and slipped in then sat on the floor next to Spike and held him while her phone vibrated on the carpet.


	79. Chapter 79 Further Options

Not Long to Wait

Ch 79 – Further Options

Duncan looked up from the table and smiled shyly as Dawn and Spike slid into the booth across from him. "Trevor will be back in a minute. We didn't order anything yet. Do you want something?"

Spike leaned against the wall with his eyes closed and shook his head. "No. Get whatever you'd like, Dunc."

Duncan looked him over and frowned at the look of resigned defeat on his face then looked at Dawn. Her eyes were puffy and red like she'd been crying, but she looked righteously pissed. She was looking at Spike and gently rubbing her hand up and down his arm. *_God, I hope I didn't do anything wrong. I can't remember what happened this morning.* _ "Uh… Mistress Dawn?"

Her head whipped around and she looked at him in surprise. "Mistress?"

He sputtered and looked down at the table. "Yes… uh… Mistress. Did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head. "Uh… no. Why would you think that?"

He shrugged. "Um… you both look upset and I can't remember what happened. I think the ritual worked because I can feel you, but the way you're both acting makes me think I screwed it up somehow. If I did, then I'm sorry, Mistress."

She shook her head slowly. "Um… no, you did fine, Duncan. Everything went like it was supposed to. Why are you calling me Mistress?"

Spike muttered without opening his eyes, "Sign of respect, kitten. As my mate, you're equal to me in Clan hierarchy. You can give him orders and control him just like I can." He opened his eyes and looked at Duncan. "Who am I, mate?"

Duncan's eyes flew up to Spike and he immediately answered, "Master William," then dropped his eyes back to the table.

"See, pet? Just a side effect of the ritual. It's makin' Dunc go all proper and follow Clan traditions, but if we don't enforce it, it should wear off soon." He closed his eyes and leaned his head on the wall again then heaved a giant sigh.

Dawn looked at Duncan and tried to smile. "You don't have to call me that, Duncan. Just Dawn is fine."

He nodded without looking up from the table. "Yes, Miss Dawn." He looked up from the table then quickly dropped his eyes again. "What happened? I mean… if it's all right for me to ask."

Dawn reached up and gently brushed her fingers through Spike's hair. "Spike wants to get his soul."

XX

XXXXX

XX

_Earlier in the bathroom:_

Dawn slipped through the battered door and dropped down next to Spike. He was slumped in the corner with his knees drawn up and his arms wrapped around his head. She scooted close to him and wrapped him in her arms. "I'm guessing you heard everything, huh?"

He nodded then mumbled, "Did I call it or what, pet? Hate to, but I have to say _I told you so._"

"Told me so about what?"

He sighed loudly, "The bleedin' Council. Told you they'd never allow this… us. I'm never gonna be good enough, am I? Not without a bleedin' soul. Nobody's ever gonna trust that I've changed, that I can be good."

Dawn whispered into his shoulder, "I trust you, Spike. I believe in you."

He looked up at her with a face so full of pain that her breath caught in her throat and tears started spilling from her eyes. "I know you do, pet, but you're the only one. Everybody else on this useless planet will always see me as a thing. A monster. They'll always expect the worst from me just 'cause I don't have that one little scrap. I'm missin' the one thing that will ever let anyone see me as a man."

Tears tracked slowly down her face as her anger built. "You're not missing anything and you don't have to prove anything to anyone! Giles and the entire Council can just go fuck themselves! I am so completely done. They want someone to stop the next apocalypse? Well keep on lookin', bubba, 'cause it ain't gonna be me and it damn sure ain't gonna be you. They've got slayers stockpiled all over the fucking world, pick one of them. They don't deserve either one of us."

Spike shook his head. "No, they **don't** deserve you, but you're the best they've got, Bit." He sighed and leaned his head on the wall, "I'm gonna get it, kitten."

"Get what? Your soul? Why?"

He closed his eyes as his face contorted in pain. "So I'll finally be good enough for **you**, for everyone. If I've got my soul, the Council won't send their hit squad out after me."

Dawn scoffed angrily, "Let 'em! I'll kill every one of those fucking bastards."

Spike looked at her and gently took her face in his hands. "No, kitten. I can't let you do that. I don't want somethin' like that weighing on you for however long you live, pet. I want to do this. If I'm souled, I won't have to worry so much 'bout the Council tryin' to dust me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of the soddin' Council, but I am afraid if they end up dustin' me then you'll die too 'cause of the Claim. Havin' my soul will kill two birds with one stone, pet. The Council won't be tryin' to dust me and you won't have to kill anyone tryin' to save me."

She pulled back and frowned. "I'm not gonna be able to talk you out of this, am I?"

He shook his head. "No, luv. If I don't get my bleedin' soul the Council is just gonna keep harrassin' us. Even if you stop workin' for 'em, they'll never just let us be. I need to be with you, and as much as it galls me to say this, I have to appease the Council if I want to keep you. You're worth it to me, pet." He chuckled and pulled her close. "Love's bitch, yeah?"

She leaned her forehead on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "How will you get it?"

He lifted her head and brushed her lips with his. "Red. Could you get her on the phone for me, pet?"

She sighed, "Sure," then got up and walked out to retrieve her phone from the floor in front of the chair. The message light was blinking and she opened it and looked at the list. Two messages from Giles. She scowled and closed the list then dialed Willow as she was walking back into the bathroom.

She dropped down to the floor beside Spike as Willow picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Wils, it's Dawn."

"Hi, Dawnie. You ate already? Wow, that was fast. I wasn't expecting to hear from you for another hour or so."

Dawn chuckled, "Actually, no, I got kinda… sidetracked. Um… Spike needs to ask you something."

"Spike? Uh… ok. I need to ask him something too. Well, both of you, actually."

Dawn looked at Spike and he shrugged. "What is it, Wils?"

"Um… I kinda need to borrow him."

Spike's eyebrow went up. "Borrow me? For what? M 'not a bleedin' library book, Red."

"Spike! Oh… I didn't know you were there. Um… well… Angel and I want to be mated and we need you for the ritual."

Dawn's eyes went wide as Spike started laughing. "Much as I'd love to help you out, ducks, I'm 'fraid I can't."

Willow's voice sounded small when she said, "Oh… Sorry. I… I just thought… Um… Angel told me that one of his line would have to accept me… and since I don't really know Duncan… I thought I'd ask you… But if you don't want to…"

Spike looked confused. "Didn't Peaches tell you what happens durin' the ritual?"

"No, not yet. He just said there was a ritual and one of his line would have to accept me. I didn't tell him that I was going to ask you, he's thinking that Duncan…."

Spike sighed, "Oh, Red, I think you need to talk with Peaches a bit more, yeah? It's not that I don't want to do the ritual." Dawn smacked his arm and he grinned at her and shook his head. "It's just that I can't. I physically can't."

"You… can't? What is the ritual, Spike?"

He looked up at the ceiling and growled, "Oh balls… Uh… Forehead's probably gonna dust me for tellin' you, but… you have to exchange blood with a vampire of his line."

"Ok. A little bit of eww, but I can do that."

"While you're shaggin' 'im."

"While I'm… What?!"

Spike grinned. "Shaggin' and I can't do that with you, pet. Well… I could… for days… but since I'm mated, I wouldn't be able to… uh… finish, and that's required for the ritual to be complete. Peaches should've told you."

Dawn was looking at him with anger and a bit of confusion in her eyes. "You want to? You could? For DAYS?"

He flinched just a bit as her voice got louder. "Oh, bloody hell. Bit, I don't mean that I** want** to shag Red. I'm just sayin' I could… if I'd a mind to… which I don't… no offense, Red… but 'cause of our Claim, I wouldn't physically be able to climax with anyone but you."

Dawn's head tilted. "So, you can have sex with other people, you just can't orgasm with anyone but me?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah."

"And is it the same for me?"

"Yeah."

Willow's voice broke in, "So it has to be Duncan because he's not mated."

Spike looked at the phone in Dawn's hand. He'd forgotten the witch was still on the other end. "Uh… yeah, Red."

Willow sighed, "Great. So I'm supposed to have… sex… with someone I've never actually met. I need to go find Angel. I'll talk to you guys later."

"Uh… Red?"

"Yeah, Spike?"

"I still need to ask you somethin'."

"Oh… What?"

"I need you to re-soul me."

"What? Why? You're not killing again, are you? I thought you were doing ok."

"I am, Red… it's just…"

Dawn broke in, "Giles is going to have him dusted because the stupid Council thinks he sired someone."

"He what?"

"He didn't do a fucking thing, but the Council's seers know there's a new member of the Aurelian line. They told Giles and he immediately jumped to the conclusion that Spike turned someone because he's the only vamp in the family without a soul. He wants me to stake Spike."

Willow's hesitant voice drifted up from the speaker, "He wants you to stake Spike? But I thought Giles was ok with him now."

"Yeah, I did too. Apparently we were all wrong. Giles is gonna send out a hit squad after Spike if I'm unable to _do my duty._ I told him about the Claiming and that I'm the new member then told him I'd kill anyone he sent out."

"What did he say?"

Dawn shrugged. "Don't know. I told him to fuck off and hung up."

Willow's gasp echoed through the bathroom then she giggled. "You what? Goddess, Dawnie! He's probably still sitting there with his mouth hanging open like a fish."

Dawn snorted, "Don't think so. He's left me two messages."

"What did they say?"

Dawn shrugged again. "No idea, I haven't listened to them. I called you first because Spike wants to get his soul so the stupid Council will leave us alone. So, can you do it?"

Spike broke in, "Without the bleedin' curse part of it?"

Willow stammered, "Uh… yeah… I can re-soul you using the same spell I used on Angel, but it's the one with the curse. I could try to rewrite it to leave that part out, but I'm not sure it'll work without it. I'll ask Angel how he anchored his soul and call you back. When did you want to do it?"

Spike frowned. "Soon as you can, Red. Do I need to be where you are for this to work?"

"Um… no, I can hit you with a soul from here, but I'm not sure about the anchoring part. Let me talk to Angel. Dawn, you should probably listen to those messages. Giles might've changed his mind and we won't need to do anything."

Dawn nodded as Spike shook his head. "I'll listen to them, Wils, but Spike isn't gonna change his mind. He wants his soul."

"Ok, Dawnie. I'll call back as soon as I've talked to Angel."

"Do you want me to talk to Duncan for you?"

"Uh… no. Not yet. Let me talk to Angel first. I'll call back soon."

"Bye, Red, and thanks."

Dawn flipped the phone closed and leaned against Spike. He wrapped his arm around her and whispered into her hair, "You gonna listen to the messages?"

She groaned as she flipped the phone open and called her voicemail. As the messages played into her ear, Dawn got a look on her face like she'd just bitten into something rotten. "That's all he cares about? If I'm still going to Vegas? He didn't even apologize to you, for fuck's sake! He just said he _regrets jumping to conclusions based on scant evidence_. What a crock! He wants me to call back to _discuss further options_. Well fuck that. He wants to talk to me; he can haul his tweedy ass back to this country and apologize to our faces. That's the only way this works for me, and that's the only way I'm doing anything at all in Vegas besides gawk like a tourist and gamble the Council's money away."

Spike chuckled bitterly, "Rupert's never gonna apologize to **me**, pet. He wouldn't lower himself to the level of a soulless **thing**. Only way I'm ever gonna get any respect from that lot is to get my bleedin' soul and even then it's unlikely. Let's go meet the lads and get you somethin' to eat, all right? Hopefully Red'll call back soon."


	80. Chapter 80 Fedex

Not Long to Wait

Ch 80 – Fedex

Duncan's eyes got wide and his mouth dropped open as he looked up sharply at Spike. "He wants to what?"

She looked over at Duncan as she carded her fingers gently through Spike's hair. "Get his soul."

She was startled when a voice said from behind her, "Spike's gonna get his soul?"

She turned and smiled at Trevor as he slid into the booth next to Duncan. "Yeah. The fucking Council is pitching a bitch and Giles even threatened to have him dusted because they think he's turned someone."

Trevor chuckled, "You're language has gotten a little rougher since I saw you yesterday."

Dawn smirked. "Yeah. Kinda happens when someone I thought I could trust threatens to murder the man I love. Guess I'm funny like that. Anyway, Spike's getting tired of being treated like shit and figures if he gets his soul, they'll leave us alone."

Duncan looked at Dawn then back over at Spike and smiled. "Spike must be **really** tired of it. He's asleep."

Dawn smirked. "Yeah, he hasn't gotten much sleep lately and the ritual kind of wore us both out."

Trevor chuckled, "Yeah. It was the ritual. Sure."

Dawn looked at Trevor with a slight blush. "What are you talking about?"

He grinned at her. "The last few hours. My room was right next to yours. Thin walls."

Her blush deepened and she picked up a menu and opened it, hiding her face behind it. "So what should we have?"

Trevor snickered and picked up a menu just as Tammy walked up to the table. He looked over the menu quickly then looked up at Tammy. "Hi, ma'am. I'll have the porterhouse, medium rare, with fries and a Coke."

She wrote it down then looked at Dawn. "I'll have a burger and fries with a Pepsi. No garden, please." She laid her menu on the table then picked up her phone when it started vibrating. It was Willow. "I'll be right back." She waved her phone at Duncan and Trevor. "I've got to take this." She got up from the table and flipped the phone open as she walked quickly into the lobby. "Hey, Wils, what's the scoop?"

"I can hit him with a soul and anchor it from here. The anchoring is just another spell that I cast right after I re-soul him. I just need something of his for the anchoring spell."

"Like what?"

"The best thing would be something off his body, like a lock of hair or something. I could probably make due with a shirt or something that he's worn recently, but the spell might not take."

"I can Fedex something to you, would that be all right?"

"Yeah. You have the firm's address, right?"

"Yeah. Oh Wils, I need that clean up spell you use. We kind of messed up the back seat of the car and I want to get it clean."

"Sure Dawnie, you have a pen?"

"Hold on a sec." Dawn walked up to the desk clerk and asked for a pen and a notepad then walked over to a chair in front of the fireplace and sat down. "Ok, shoot." Willow gave her an incantation in a strange language and had her repeat it back three or four times to make sure she had the pronunciation right. "So I just say this while I'm concentrating on the back seat of the car and it'll get rid of the blood?"

"Yes, but you have to add the word for blood at the end so that's what it will clean up."

"What is it?" Willow spelled another strange word and told Dawn how to pronounce it. "And that's it?"

"Yep. That should clean up any blood. If there's anything else, it won't, but if you need the words for anything else, just call me back."

"Thanks, Wils. Blood's all I need to clean up right now. I'll get something from Spike shipped out to you in a little while so you should have it tomorrow. Can you do the spell then?"

"Yeah. I'll call before I do it so you guys can get Spike somewhere safe. The re-souling is pretty painful from what Angel said, and the anchoring will knock him out for a while."

The blood drained from Dawn's face. "How painful? What's going to happen to him? Is he going to be the same person after he gets his soul?"

"I don't know, Dawnie. Angel and Angelus are as different as night and day, but Spike is already good without his soul, so I don't know if it will change him that much. He's going to feel a century's worth of guilt all at once, though, and that might mess him up pretty bad. Angel said he barely moved at all for almost a month after he was cursed the first time. Spike's sure he wants to do this? Angel said he'd take care of the Council. He was pretty pissed that they threatened to have Spike dusted. He stormed out of here muttering something about the Council not knowing who they're dealing with."

Dawn chuckled, "Great. I've just sicced a pissed off Master Vampire with almost unlimited resources on the Council of Watchers." Dawn smirked to herself and shrugged. "You know, that actually kind of works for me, but I don't think Spike's going to change his mind, even if Angel does fix things with the Council. He thinks he's not good enough without his soul, and he's worried that if the Council does dust him that I'll die too because of the Claim. He's doing this to protect me. He's going to be in pain again because of me."

"I guess I kind of see his point about the you dying part, but… I just had a thought… What will happen to him if you die again? You'll come back, but will he?"

Dawn's stomach dropped to the floor. "Holy shit, Wils. I never thought of that. If one of us dies, does the other person die like right away or does it take a while? If it takes a while, then maybe I'd be back before he dusted."

"Or maybe it wouldn't matter if you came back right away because you still died. It might be an automatic thing. You die, he dies and it doesn't matter if you come back. I'll talk to Angel again. He might know something or maybe he can have his researchers look into it. Just try not to get killed for a while and get me Spike's lock of hair and we'll get the soul thing taken care of. Did you listen to those messages from Giles?"

Dawn's face screwed into a scowl. "Yes. His biggest concern is if I'm still going to Vegas. He didn't even bother to apologize to either of us! He wants me to call him back, but I'm not talking to him. I can't, Wils. I'll reach through the fucking phone and strangle him. I know Angel already has a lot going on, but could he talk to Giles and just kind of be the go-between? I really can't handle dealing with him right now."

"I'll do it, Dawnie. I understand how you feel. If Giles told me I had to stake Angel, I'd be all with the wanting to strangle him, too. I can't read auras like Tara could, but I wanted to tell you that I don't get the same… uh… dangerous… or wanting to kill… I guess… vibe from Spike that I used to. Even when he was helping out after he got the chip, I still sometimes felt like he was just waiting and watching and he'd kill us all the minute he got it out. I don't feel like that anymore. I think you're really good for him, Dawn. He's a better man because of you."

Dawn felt tears welling up in her eyes and blinked rapidly as she swiped across her face with the hem of her skirt. "Thanks, Willow. I know I'm a better person because of him; I just don't want him to be in pain because of me. Is there anything we can do to ease the soul getting pain or help with the guilt afterwards? A spell, a potion, a bottle of Jack, anything?"

"As far as the physical pain of re-souling… um… well, he doesn't really need to be conscious for the spell to work, so I could give you a spell to knock him out for that. He'll probably still feel some pain, but it might not be as much. Just make sure he feeds from you right before; your blood would probably help with the pain more than an ocean of Jack. The guilt… um… there's not a lot I can do for that. He's just going to have to deal, but I think you can probably help him through it. Just keep him away from stakes and sunlight; chain him up if you have to. He's already tried to dust himself a few times that I know of; once right after he got the chip and when you died the first time. The guilt he's going to feel is probably going to be a world of worse."

Dawn snorted, "I left my chains back at my apartment attached to Riley and I don't think a few silk scarves are going to be enough to restrain him."

"Do you still have the pen? I can give you a spell to enchant the scarves and whatever they're attached to so they'll be strong enough to hold him."

Dawn flipped to a new page on the notepad. "Ok, I'm ready. Do I need any supplies for these? I don't know where I'd find a magic shop around here, and am I going to be powerful enough to cast these spells? I'm not as into the magicks as you are."

"You'll be fine, Dawnie. I'm giving you spells that don't need ingredients or anything. They draw on the power of the caster and your Key Power should be more than enough power to fuel the spells. Ready for the enchantment spell?"

"Yeah." Willow gave her the incantation and instructions on how to use it then gave her the knock-out spell and a counter spell to wake him up if she needed to. "Ok, got it. I'm gonna let you go so I can go clip Spike's hair and get it Fedexed to you. When you talk to Giles, please let him know that I won't do a damn thing for the stupid Council as long as they're threatening Spike. Prophecy or no prophecy."

"Ok, I will. You want me to tell him about Spike's soul?"

Dawn considered for a minute. "Yeah, you can, I guess. I doubt it'll make much difference, though. Thanks for everything, Willow. You really are an awesome friend."

Dawn could almost hear Willow blushing. "Thanks, Dawnie. I'll call soon. Talk to you later."

"Later." Dawn flipped her phone closed and pulled the sheets of spells off the notepad then took the pad and pen back to the desk. She walked back to the restaurant and smiled as she saw Spike still leaning in the corner, snoozing away. The room had emptied out considerably since she'd left to take the Willow's call, and now there were only a few occupied tables. She weaved through them and dropped into her seat, her stomach rumbling as the scent of food hit her nose. She noticed that Duncan and Trevor were halfway done eating their meals as she doctored her burger and picked it up.

She took a huge bite just as Trevor asked, "So what's the plan?"

She held up her finger as she chewed then grinned at him after she'd swallowed. "Sure, ask me a question right when my mouth is full. The plan is get on the road. I have to send Willow a package through Fedex before we leave and she'll call when she's ready to do the re-souling spell. We'll find someplace to hole up when she does and get Spike souled. It'll have to be somewhere that we can hang out for a few days if we need to and someplace that we can restrain him. I don't think a hotel will work, though. He's probably going to be hollering and whatever, so it'll have to be someplace where we won't draw attention."

Trevor nodded. "I have a vacation house about half a day's drive from here. It's at a lake way out in the woods. There's a few houses kind of close, but there shouldn't be anybody in them this time of year. It's a little out of our way, but it should do."

Dawn smiled. "That would be perfect. Is there somewhere in the house where we can restrain him or at the very least keep him from getting outside?"

"Yeah. It's got a large basement. We could fix something up down there. I've got welding supplies out in my workshop. I could build some type of cage or something if that would work."

Dawn's head tilted. "You have cage building supplies at your vacation house? What kind of vacations do you take, Trevor?"

He laughed, "I do metalworking, sculptures and things like that. I can weld a pretty strong cage together, but it still might not be enough to hold him."

Dawn noticed a young couple at a nearby table looking at them strangely. She smiled politely and made the _turn around and mind your own business_ motion with her finger, then tapped a folded piece of paper next to her plate. "Willow gave me a spell to enchant whatever we use to make it strong enough for him. I think a cage would be better than tying him down or chaining him to anything. At least that way he could move around a little."

Duncan and Trevor looked at her wide-eyed and Trevor gasped, "You do magic too?"

Dawn nodded as she took another bite, smaller this time. When she was done chewing she chuckled, "Yeah. I'm a multi-talented chick. I haven't done any magic for a while, though, so this might be kind of interesting. Hope I don't turn you two into toads or something." They glanced nervously at each other then back at Dawn and she winked. "Just kidding. I have enough control of my power that these simple spells shouldn't be a problem."

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked over. The couple was still looking at them and whispering to each other. Dawn shook her head as she heard the woman try to convince the man that he should call someone because that unconscious blond guy at their table might be in trouble. Dawn leaned forward and said in a quiet whisper so only Duncan and Trevor could hear her. "Duncan, switch places with Trevor and show those people your demon."

Duncan nodded and whispered, "Yes, Miss Dawn." She shook her head. *_Well, at least he isn't calling me Mistress anymore.* _She leaned back as Trevor and Duncan slid out of the booth then sat back down in the opposite seats. The couple was eyeing them warily and the man had his cell phone out when Duncan turned to face them and let the demon loose. They gasped loudly as his eyes changed to glowing amber in the darkened room, the light from the low hanging lamps glinting off his fangs.

Dawn placed her hand gently on his arm and he glanced at her as she leaned out and whispered to the couple, "Are you completely sure you want to do that? One word from me and…" She nodded toward Duncan and he licked his fangs hungrily.

The man snapped his phone closed and stuffed it in his pocket then grabbed the woman's arm and stood up, whispering furiously, "I keep telling you to mind your own damn business, but do you ever listen to me?" He practically dragged her out of the restaurant, glancing back over his shoulder at Duncan who was still fanged out.

Dawn grinned at the retreating couple then smiled at Duncan. "Thanks, Duncan. You can put it away now."

Duncan shook off the demon and smiled. "That was actually kind of fun. I could smell their fear. The woman was about ready to wet herself."

Trevor chuckled as he switched their plates and glasses. "Just don't start going around scaring people, Duncan. Might get you dusted if you try it with the wrong person. Not everyone is afraid of vampires."

Duncan shook his head. "I won't. That's the first time I've shown my demon to someone who didn't already know I was a vampire. It was kind of exciting, but I still feel a little bit guilty for scaring them."

Dawn smiled at him. "Don't worry about it, Duncan. They'll be fine." She reached across the table and placed her hand on his. "I wanted to say thank you for what you did for Spike and me. We really appreciate it."

She pulled her hand back as he ducked his head and muttered, "You're welcome, Miss Dawn."

Trevor smiled as he stabbed another piece of steak with his fork. "So I guess the ritual worked then? You two are all mated and everything?"

Dawn nodded. "Yep. Went off without a hitch."

Duncan looked like he'd be blushing as he ducked his head a little more. Trevor smirked at him then looked up at Dawn. "Duncan says he can't remember what happened."

Dawn nodded. "Yeah. Spike had him use a special incantation that wiped his memories of the ritual." She tapped the back of Duncan's hand and he looked up at her. "He did that so you wouldn't be all wigged out. He didn't want you to feel weird being around us or be all embarrassed or anything, ok?"

Duncan nodded then whispered, "But you remember?" Dawn nodded and Duncan looked down at the table. "And I was… um… ok?"

"Look at me, Duncan." He lifted his head and she gave him a brilliant smile. "You were way better than ok. You've got nothing to worry about in that department, Duncan. Nothing at all."

He grinned hugely and Trevor nudged him. "See? Told you to stop worrying about it."

They finished the rest of the meal in silence, then sat quietly while they waited for the waitress to bring the check. Duncan put the firm's credit card in the little folder and handed it back to her then nodded at Spike. "Should we wake him up, Miss Dawn?"

Dawn shook her head. "Not yet. Does one of you have a pocket knife I could borrow?" Trevor dug one out of his pocket and handed it to her. She flipped out the little pair of scissors and got up on one knee on the bench then leaned over and clipped off one of Spike's curls fairly close to his scalp. She mussed his hair around to conceal the empty spot then placed a gentle kiss to the top of his head. She handed the knife back to Trevor and stood up. "I have to get this sent out. I'll be right back and then we can wake him up and get going."


	81. Chapter 81 Deer

Not Long to Wait

Ch 81 – Deer

A still sleepy Spike dropped down into the driver's seat of the DeSoto and fell backwards with his feet still on the ground outside. Dawn chuckled as she pulled the two pillows out of the back window then leaned in over Spike to stack them up against the passenger door. Suddenly his arms snaked around her and he nudged her shirt up far enough to wrap his lips around her breast. She gasped as he flicked his tongue across the nipple then suckled and slid his hands down her back to cup her ass. She moaned as he ground himself against her thigh and moved over to the other breast. Trevor tapped the roof of the car and chuckled, "Thought we needed to get going."

Spike grumbled and slid his head far enough out from under Dawn to glare at Trevor as she lifted herself off him and tugged her shirt back down. "Scoot over and get comfy, baby. I'm gonna feed Duncan right quick and we can get motoring." He grumbled more as he scooted across the seat and settled into the pillows. Dawn backed out of the car and held her arm up to Duncan. "Feed, Duncan. We're not stopping for anything but bathroom breaks until we get to Trevor's vacation house." Duncan took her arm and let the demon out then gently sank his fangs and started drinking. "You're getting really good at that, Duncan. I didn't even feel you bite this time. If I didn't feel you pulling the blood, I'd never even know I'd been bitten." Duncan smiled against her arm as she looked at Trevor. "Are there supplies out there or will we have to get some?"

"There's nothing out there right now, but I'll call the caretaker and have him set the place up. I go out there quite a bit during the offseason, so he shouldn't get suspicious. Is there anything special you want him to bring?"

Dawn nodded. "Oreos. Lots of Oreos and milk. And ice cream. I don't really care what flavor, I just feel a junk food binge coming on. Sodas and chips too. After dealing with Giles, I just wanna curl up on the couch, watch movies and pig out. You have a TV out there, right?"

Trevor laughed. "Yeah. Big screen, surround sound, satellite, and a pretty extensive DVD collection. I'll tell Ralph to set up like it's Super Bowl Sunday. Lots of junk food and beer will be waiting for us."

Spike mumbled, "Need some Jack and make sure there's wings. Oh, and I need more fags."

Trevor leaned down and smirked at the half-asleep vampire. "Will do."

Duncan slid his fangs out and licked the bite closed. "Thanks, Dawn."

She smiled at him. "No problem. And thanks for not calling me Miss Dawn. Makes me feel like an old cat lady."

He laughed as he climbed into his car. "Yeah, sorry about that. I think it's worn off now. I don't feel the compulsion to call you Mistress anymore."

Dawn leaned down and pulled Spike's boots off then tossed them on the passenger side floorboard with a loud thump. She smiled over at Duncan as she lifted Spike's feet and slid in under them, settling them on her thighs. "Good. I was starting to feel like a dominatrix or something and that's not really my bag, Duncan."

Duncan ducked his head as Spike mumbled, "Mmmm, my Bit in leather and holding a whip. I could go for that."

Dawn smacked his leg. "You're supposed to be asleep, perv."

He smirked and mumbled, "I am."

She giggled, "What… sleeping or a perv?"

"Both."

Dawn smiled and looked over at Duncan's car. "Let's go. If any of us need to stop for anything, bathroom breaks or whatever, make sure to call. I don't want to get separated. Also, if Giles or any numbers you don't recognize call you, don't answer, and let me know right away. I don't think he has your numbers, but I don't know what he's planning and I don't want him to have any information about where we're going." Duncan and Trevor both nodded and Dawn pulled the door shut then held her hand over the ignition, smiling when the DeSoto roared to life. She grinned over at Spike and gently squeezed his foot. "Here we go, baby. Gonna get you all souled up."

XX

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XX

She tapped her fingernails rapidly on her desk as she waited nervously for Giles to pick up. "Hello?"

"Giles, it's Willow."

His voice brightened. "Hello, Willow. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

"I'm calling for Dawn."

His voice was tight and she could hear the barely controlled anger thrumming through it. "I assume she's told you about the Claim."

"Yeah, I know about it, but that's not why I'm calling. It's about Spike and what you're planning to do to him."

"And what is that?"

"You're going to have him dusted."

"Yes."

"Why? He hasn't done anything. Recently, I mean. I know he did a lot of bad stuff for a long time, but now he's good. And he loves Dawn."

"The Council has decided that allowing a relationship between a Slayer and a vampire is not acceptable. He's a monster, Willow. Just because he didn't add to the Aurelian line by siring a Childe **this** time doesn't mean he won't in the future. The Clan of Aurelius is one of the most powerful there is and allowing an unsouled member of that line to continue to exist is against the best interests of humanity. As old as he is and being an Aurelian, if he **were** to turn someone they would awaken more powerful than ten fledglings turned by any other vampire."

Willow chuckled bitterly, "Spike's never sired a Childe. Ever. What makes you think he's going to start now?"

"It's a chance the Council isn't willing to take."

"What about Angel? Or Duncan? They're of the same line."

"Yes, but they're both souled. The Council isn't as worried about them. Of course they aren't ecstatic about having two Aurelian vampires walking the earth, but they're willing to let them be as long as they continue to fight the good fight."

"Spike's fighting the good fight. What's the difference?"

"He doesn't have a soul, Willow. I find it hard to believe that you still don't understand that."

"I understand perfectly. What happened to giving him a chance? You even said it yourself back at Dawn's apartment. You helped us rescue him, and now you want to kill him?"

"I was mistaken, Willow. I never should have gone along with the rescue. Dawn killed humans to save that vampire because of her misguided feelings for him. Faith is dead because she was also protecting him. Dawn killed Robin to save Spike. Even if Spike didn't commit these acts of murder, the blood is still on his hands because they were committed in his name. The fact that he's endeavoring to be good is irrelevant and does not make up for the lives that have been lost because of him. The Council's decision has been made and I fully agree with it. I'd let myself become complacent where Spike was concerned because he was chipped and harmless. I began to see him as a kind of ally, but he can never be that, Willow. He can't be completely good without a soul. He proved that when he attacked Buffy."

"So if Spike got his soul, then you'd leave him alone?"

"What are you planning, Willow?"

"Just answer the question."

"I… I don't know. Spike not having a soul is only one reason to end him. The Council is up in arms over the fact that he's Claimed a Slayer. That has never happened before and they're livid, and they're blaming me because I allowed the relationship. Being mated to a Slayer as powerful as Dawn makes Spike one of the most, if not THE most powerful vampire on the planet. I don't know that the Council would care if Spike had a soul or not."

"Ask them."

"I'm not in any position to argue on Spike's behalf, not that I would. I've been heavily sanctioned because of my involvement with him and because I allowed his relationship with Dawn. I cannot afford to go against the Council, Willow. I must do what they wish or I will lose everything."

"So… you're going to let them dust Spike to save your own ass? Is that what you're telling me?"

Giles sighed, "I'm too old to start again with nothing. Don't you understand? I lost Buffy. I lost Faith. This is all I have left. If I have to choose between my life and the existence of a soulless demon…"

"What about Dawn? You want to lose her too?"

Giles chuckled bitterly, "I never had Dawn. She doesn't need me, Willow, she never has."

"I'm going to give Spike back his soul. I'll let you know when it's done. You might want to let the Council know that Dawn is serious about protecting Spike. She **will** kill anyone they send, and she won't do anything for the Council as long as you're threatening him. Oh, and Giles? If Spike dusts, Dawn will die too. And she won't come back."

XX

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XX

Her fingers gently caressed the emerald stone nestled against her skin as she stared out at the black ribbon of highway, the hum of the tires on the road lulling her into a relaxed state. Duncan's brake lights flashed briefly in the distance as her hand wandered from her neck to Spike's bare foot nestled in her lap. She absently stroked along the arch as her thoughts drifted. Suddenly there was a flurry of movement off to the left as a large deer darted from the tall grass on the side of the road and ran directly in front of the car. Dawn jerked the wheel to the left and slammed her foot down on the brake as her right hand clamped down on Spike's foot. The car swerved violently as the tires screeched along the asphalt and Spike's foot was ripped from her grasp. The deer glanced off the right rear corner of the car and stumbled then righted itself and bounded away into the grass on the other side of the road. The ditch was coming up fast so Dawn cranked the wheel back to the right and the car slid to a halt, canted across both lanes of traffic and surrounded by a cloud of rank tire smoke.

Dawn slammed the car into park then turned it off and leaned back against the seat, trembling and dragging in great gulps of air as her heart hammered away in her chest. She heard a grunt and a muffled "Bloody hell," from the passenger side floorboard and looked over to see Spike crammed up under the dash with the pillows covering him.

"Shit! Spike! Are you ok?" She reached over with a trembling hand and pulled the pillows back up on the seat.

He sat up blinking and holding the back of his head as he chuckled, "Yeah, pet, I'm fine. I've known more pleasant ways of wakin' up, though."

She grasped his hand and pulled him back up onto the seat then turned him and looked at the gash on the back of his head. It was small, but blood was pouring out of it, coating his hair and running down the back of his neck to soak into his shirt. She tugged the shirt over his head then pressed it to the wound as she pulled him close and settled his head on her shoulder. He heard her heart still thundering away in her chest and lifted his head. "Are you all right, pet? What happened?"

Her voice was shaky as she mumbled, "A deer ran out in front of us. I think it hit the back of the car."

He reached up and gently traced his fingers over her cheek. "Sod the bloody car. Are **you** all right?"

She looked at him and nodded faintly, "Yeah. Just scared the shit out of me. I was kind of zoned out, so I didn't react very fast. I'm sorry you ended up on the floor. If I'd been paying attention, I could have held onto you or something."

He leaned close and brushed his lips across hers. "No worries, luv. I'll be fine. Just a scratch, yeah?" He looked out the window and saw a set of headlights heading in their direction. "Should move the car, kitten. We're in the middle of the road."

She nodded and raised her hand to the ignition. It took her a few seconds to calm down enough to concentrate her power then the engine roared to life and she steered the car slowly to the edge of the road and turned it off again. She lifted the shirt away from Spike's head, checking to see if he'd stopped bleeding, then used a clean spot to try and wipe some of the blood from his neck and sponge it out of his hair. She tossed the bloody shirt into the back seat and mumbled, "I'll get you another shirt." She opened the door and shakily climbed out of the car then leaned against it and breathed in the cool night air.

Spike climbed out behind her and winced as he put his foot down on the asphalt. He sat back down and lifted his foot up to look at it. Dawn leaned over and saw four deep moon-shaped wounds and four deep furrows scratched across the bottom of his foot. She thumped back against the car. "God, I'm sorry, Spike. I was rubbing your foot and I must have dug my nails in without thinking."

"It's all right, kitten. It'll heal soon."

Duncan's car glided to a stop in front of the DeSoto and Spike stood up as Duncan and Trevor climbed out. Duncan walked over and whistled as he looked at the tire marks zig-zagging across the road. "What happened?"

Spike reached for Dawn's hand and twined their fingers together. "Deer."

Trevor looked them over and nodded at Spike. "You're bleeding."

Spike nodded. "Yeah. Cracked my head on somethin'. I'll be fine." He walked around to the trunk and peeked around the side of the car. There was a large swath of dust wiped off the car near the tail light and a few coarse brown hairs caught in the light housing. "Looks like it clipped the back end. I don't smell blood, so the critter's probably fine."

Dawn opened the trunk and started digging around in the duffels looking for a clean shirt. "You're going to have to buy some more shirts, Spike. I think this is the last good one you've got."

Spike took the shirt from her and laughed. "Yeah, the last few weeks have been a bit hard on my wardrobe." He looked up at Trevor. "How much further, mate?"

"The turnoff is about twenty miles up the road. There's a general store right at the turnoff that might have shirts. I haven't been inside there for several years, though, so I'm not sure."

Spike extended his senses and felt the night then quirked his eyebrow at Trevor. "They're gonna be open at half five in the morning?"

Trevor smiled. "Yeah. They're open all the time. The locals are rabid fishermen. There's probably half a dozen or so camped out at the diner waiting for it to get light so they can go out on the lake. Besides, it's the only gas station for about eighty miles."

Spike pulled the shirt over his head then slammed the trunk and took Dawn's hand. "Let's go then. Sun's gonna be up soon."

Dawn crawled into the car, pushing the pillows out of her way as she settled into the middle of the seat. Spike leaned down and picked up his memento box that had slid out from under the seat and handed it to her. "Could you hold this for me, pet, and hand me my boots?" She set the box on the seat beside her then leaned over and picked up his boots. He stepped into them, hissing slightly when his injured foot slid in, then dropped down into the car and nodded at Trevor. "Lead the way, mate."

Duncan and Trevor climbed back into their car then turned it around and took off with the DeSoto following close behind. Dawn was sitting quietly, leaning against Spike while she traced her fingers gently over the pattern on the lid of his memento box. He glanced at her and asked quietly, "You all right, luv? You're awfully quiet."

She lifted the box into her lap and looked at him. "Why didn't you take this with you when you left?"

He glanced down at the box and sighed, "Wasn't plannin' on stayin' gone."

"So why did you? Why didn't you come back?"

He reached for her hand and twined their fingers together. "You're not gonna like my answer, pet."

"Tell me anyway."

He closed his eyes for a second then took a deep breath. "I'd planned to get my soul so Buffy could love me. Wasn't sure that she would after what I did, but I had to try."

"Oh."

"I went to Africa. Heard there was a demon who could re-soul me if I went through his trials, but the demon was dead when I got there. Killed by the local villagers."

"So why didn't you come back?"

He chuckled bitterly, "To what end, luv? I couldn't get my soul and without it your sis would want nothin' to do with me, 'sides usin' me for a punchin' bag or extra muscle. When I was evil, I knew how things worked, what to do and how to do it. It was simple. Not havin' a soul and goin' against my nature to try to be good was confusin' and exhaustin'. I'd had my fill of tryin' to be the good man that she'd **never** see me as only to get pounded on for my trouble. I wandered 'round Africa for a bit, gettin' angrier and angrier at how she'd treated me, and finally decided to get the soddin' chip out, go back to Sunnydale, and bag my third slayer. Get back to bein' the Big Bad. World is my oyster and all that."

"You were going to kill Buffy?"

"That was the plan. I traveled around for months tryin' to find someone to take the bleedin' chip out, but either I didn't have the kind of money they wanted, or they said there was nothin' they could do. Finally gave up when the last demon I went to see decided to chain me up and try his own little experiments with holy water. I was finally able to break a chain and choke him to death with it after he'd been drippin' holy water on me for a few weeks."

Dawn squeezed his fingers. "Shit, Spike. How bad were you hurt?"

"He used the holy water to drill a hole in my leg. He was forcin' blood down my throat to see if my vamp healin' could overcome the steady drip of holy water. Just for the record, it can't. You could see all the way through my soddin' leg when I finally got out of there. After that, I figured if I kept tryin' to get the bloody chip out, I'd most likely end up dusted or the prisoner of some sadistic git or it'd make me barmier than Dru. Decided to just cut my losses and get on with my unlife."

Dawn shuddered and leaned her head on his shoulder. "So how did you end up where I found you?"

"Not long after I got away from that git, I wrecked my bike just outside town and was layin' unconscious in the middle of the road when this little old lady almost ran me over. She woke me up and somehow got me into her car and drove me to hospital. I woke up later in a hospital bed with a dozen people all around me, shockin' the shit out of me tryin' to get my heart started. They thought they could get me back 'cause I was still breathin'. Scared the ever lovin' shit out of the lot when I sat up in full game face and put my fist through their bloody machine."

"How'd you get away?"

"Got up and limped out of the room while they were all crappin' their nappies. Made it down to the basement and hid out there, feedin' on the bodies in the morgue for a few days 'til I was healed, then left and found an old crypt to kip in."

"How'd you get your apartment?"

He chuckled, "That took a while. I tried scarin' people for cash, but with the number of vamps in that town, it was a rough go. Most of the people I tried scarin' either weren't scared of vampires or they fought back, so I started feedin' on other vamps 'til they got wise and wouldn't come near me. I was starvin' and had just fed on my first dead rat when I saw a flyer sayin' that Club Stud was lookin' for strippers. And the rest, as they say, is history."

Dawn looked down at the box in her lap. "So, if you'd managed to get the chip out, you would've come back just to kill Buffy?"

Spike sighed, "No, probably not. Even when I was lookin' to get the chip out, as angry as I was, I still wasn't sure I could do it. I kept tryin' to tell myself that once I had the chip out, I could kill the Slayer and get her out of my bloody system once and for all, but this little voice in the back of my head kept whisperin' that I couldn't kill her 'cause I loved her. I finally just stopped thinkin' 'bout it, stopped thinkin' 'bout her. I stayed pissed as much as I possibly could and only sobered up long enough to do a show and earn enough dosh to get pissed again."

"And you lived for years like that getting beat up and raped and being all alone."

"Yeah."

"That town was full of fledges, Spike. Why didn't you take over and become the Big Bad again? You're a Master Vampire. Even with the chip, they would've listened to you, wouldn't they?"

He shrugged. "They might've, 'fore I started feedin' on 'em. After that, they'd run from me unless there was a large group, then they'd attack me. Came close to dustin' quite a few times. One git fresh out of the ground managed to stake me once and only missed my heart by less than a finger's width. I never ran from 'em, though. Fought 'em all to the dusty end."

"You'd decided to stop trying to be what Buffy wanted, so why didn't you take over when you were hungry instead of feeding on vamps? They would've brought you food."

He chuckled bitterly, "Yeah, they would've, but I just couldn't, kitten. Don't get me wrong, I did consider it, but even though I knew your sis would never love me, I still had that little spark of hope buried way down deep that told me she might if I could just keep bein' good. So… I tried."

"And you spent years suffering because of it." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Does anything good ever happen to you?"

The sun broke over the horizon and the tears on her face shone in the sunlight as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, whispering into her hair. "You, pet. You."


	82. Chapter 82 Still Memorable

Not Long to Wait

Ch 82 – Still Memorable

Dawn traced her fingers over the box. "So what's in here?"

"Photos and letters and whatnot. Most from before I was turned. I'll show you everythin' once we get to the house if you'd like."

Duncan's car turned into the parking lot of a largish building that looked like a rundown warehouse. There was a blinking neon sign mounted on the windowless wall that said _Henry's General Store and Diner_. Spike pulled up beside Duncan's car and smirked at the crappy looking building. "Hmmm. Quite posh. Thought we were on Rodeo Drive there for a tic."

Dawn giggled and set the box on the seat then leaned up and gently kissed Spike. "I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm gonna run in and try to find you a few shirts. Anything else you want?"

Spike reached for the door handle. "I could come in, luv."

She reached over and snagged his hand then pointed out the window. "Uh… daytime. You'll get crispy fried if you get out of the car, and besides, you're covered in blood again. I don't want to draw any attention if we can help it, and even completely clueless people might notice a bloody man who's on fire."

Spike looked over her skimpy tank top and the tattoo on her belly then smirked. "You draw attention wherever you go, luv, but I see your point. I'll stay here like a good little vamp."

"'K, see you in a few minutes." She climbed out of the car, quickly shutting the door behind her to keep the sun's rays off Spike, then walked around to the trunk as Trevor climbed quickly out of Duncan's car. She popped the trunk and dug around in the bags until she came up with the blouse that went with her skirt. She pulled it over her head and closed the trunk as she pulled her hair loose from the braid and shook the curls out. She turned to Trevor and held her arms out. "Do I look forgettable? I don't want anyone to remember seeing me here."

He smiled. "No. You don't. You're going to be the most beautiful woman most of these people have ever seen."

"Shit." She closed her eyes and tried to think of a way to disguise herself or make herself look ordinary. Her eyes popped open and she grinned then started murmuring something under her breath. Trevor's eyes got huge as her curly black hair changed to stick straight platinum blonde. Her features seemed to shimmer for a second then molded into something exotic. Her skin tone darkened and she seemed to get taller as her eyes changed to a deep brown. She stopped murmuring and smiled at Trevor. "How about now?"

He stuttered, "Uh… no. Still beautiful. Still memorable."

She laughed, "Yeah, but not for the same reasons." She started for the front of the building, smirking at Spike's wide eyed stare as she passed the front of the car. She waved at him and blew him a kiss then walked around the corner and out of sight with Trevor following close behind.

The interior of the building was a sharp contrast to the shabby exterior. It looked like the inside of a log cabin. The walls were covered in logs with a roaring fireplace at one end of the cavernous room. There were huge beams overhead with all manner of furs and stuffed animal heads adorning them. There were dozens of rifles, bear traps, and other hunting paraphernalia mounted on the walls above the displays of fishing gear and tourist baubles and trinkets.

There was a large clothing section in the back corner and Dawn found the rack of t-shirts then started skimming through them looking for something Spike would wear. Most of them were brightly colored and had goofy sayings or funny pictures emblazoned on the fabric. She held up a forest green shirt with a large picture of a smiling rainbow trout and raised her eyebrow at Trevor. He laughed and shook his head. "Don't think so."

She giggled and put it back on the rack as Trevor wandered over to the shelves mounted on the wall. She found one solid black t-shirt in the entire rack and folded it over her arm as she walked over to Trevor. He was digging through the stacks of packaged shirts and finally pulled one out and held it up. "Is this his size?"

She looked at the package and nodded. "Yep. This will give him four shirts. That'll have to do for now unless there's another package in there somewhere."

Trevor shifted the packages around and shook his head. "Nope. That's the only black one. There's a dark blue one. Will he wear those?"

"He's gonna have to, I guess. Grab it and let's motor."

Trevor picked up the package of blue shirts and they made their way to the other end of the building to check out. The cash register was next to a cluster of tables filled with men in fishing vests. Dawn got quite a few appreciative looks as she laid her items on the counter and reached into her boot to retrieve her wallet. She pulled out her debit card and Trevor stepped close and whispered, "You want me to get this? Won't they be trying to track your accounts or anything?"

She shook her head. "No. It's all right. I'll explain outside." The young woman at the register gave them a once over then glanced at a young man sitting at the table nearest the register and frowned. He was staring at Dawn with a leer that would have gotten his ass kicked if Spike had been with her. Trevor noticed the look and stepped between Dawn and the young man as the woman quickly rang up the shirts and stated the total in a snippy voice.

Dawn handed over the card then signed the slip as the woman bagged the shirts and thrust them at Trevor. She slid Dawn's card across the counter and mumbled a terse thank you then turned and walked toward the young man. She thumped him on the forehead on her way by and he turned to look at her retreating form as he rubbed the sore spot. Dawn giggled and took Trevor's arm as they walked out of the store.

Trevor handed her the bag as they stepped between the cars. "So they won't track your accounts?"

Dawn shrugged. "Yeah, they'll probably try, but they won't be able to trace that account. The bank it's off of is part of Angel's firm, so it's warded to within an inch of its life against snooping or hacking, even if they use magic."

"What if they use magic to find you, like a locator spell or something?"

She shook her head. "Won't work. For a locator spell, you need something from the person you're trying to find; besides I'm warded against magic." She started murmuring under her breath and her blonde hair changed back to black and her features resumed their normal appearance. She lifted her shirt and pointed to the rose tattoo. "This scrambles any magical energy aimed at me so locator spells or battle spells just fizzle or bounce off."

"But you just changed your appearance. How did you do that with the ward?"

"I can use magic to cast spells on myself or other people and objects, and Willow can cast spells on me because she's the one who set up the ward in the first place, but any other magic won't work on me."

"What about the rest of us?"

"Does the Council have anything belonging to you or Duncan or Spike?"

He shook his head. "I doubt it."

"Well, there you go. Besides, finding a vampire with a locator spell takes a lot of power because they're dead. None of the Council's witches have that much power. Willow's the only witch I know of that's ever done it, and even she needs some kind of starting point. She can't just search the whole world or I would have had her find Spike for me instead of searching for him myself."

Spike rolled down his window a crack. "If we don't want to be seen, we should probably go. The noise level in that buildin' just went way up, so I think everyone is 'bout to leave."

Trevor nodded and opened his door, making Duncan yelp when the sunlight hit him for a second. Dawn scooted around the car and quickly climbed in, just barely pulling her door shut before Spike started backing up to follow Duncan's car out of the lot and onto a narrow two-track road that wound through the thick trees behind the store.

Duncan's little sports car bounced along the severely rutted road, only bottoming out once or twice, before he turned onto an even narrower, less used road that squeezed between two large trees. Spike carefully guided the DeSoto through the slot, wincing when the passenger side mirror brushed the tree trunk with a sharp thump and broke off. "Bloody tree just hurt my car." He stopped just past the trees and nodded behind him. "Could you go grab my mirror, pet? Might be able to fix it."

Dawn chuckled as she climbed out of the car and searched through the tall grass at the base of the tree for the mirror. She picked it up and looked it over then got back in the car and handed it to Spike. "Looks like it was just knocked off. The mirror isn't broken."

"Thanks, luv." He tucked the mirror under the seat then followed Duncan. The road opened up into a large clearing containing a huge two-story cabin and a large shop. There was a large boathouse on the lake shore about fifty feet behind the cabin next to a long pier that extended out into the lake. Duncan pulled up to the large door in the end of the shop and Trevor jumped out of the car and walked up to a small panel set into the wall next to the door. He punched in a key code and the door started rolling up to reveal an open space surrounded by piles and stacks of metal in all shapes and sizes. The far end of the shop had numerous pieces of welding and metal working equipment with a large drafting table set against the wall in the corner.

Duncan pulled his little car into the shop and nudged it as close as he could to the piles of metal so the DeSoto would fit beside it. It was a tight squeeze, but as soon as both cars were through the door, Trevor punched another code and stepped into the shop as the door rolled down. Duncan opened his door just enough to squeeze through the opening, pulling his backpack out behind him, then opened the trunk and pulled out a large bag. Trevor pulled his bags out of the trunk as Spike and Dawn climbed out the passenger side of the DeSoto with Dawn clutching the box. Dawn popped the trunk and Spike shouldered two duffels while Dawn got the third one. Spike stopped and looked around at the various piles in the shop then looked at Trevor. "What's all this, mate?"

Trevor smiled. "I do metal sculptures." He nodded at a pile of rebar. "I'll use that to build the cage."

Spike's eyebrow went up. "Cage?"

Trevor looked at Dawn in surprise. "You didn't tell him?"

She blushed and shook her head. "No, not yet. Um… let's go inside and get settled, then we can sit down and talk about everything."

Trevor started for a door set in the wall between two large stacks of sheet metal and punched a code into the key pad next to the door. Spike smirked. "What's with all the security? 'Fraid someone will nick your bits of scrap?"

Trevor laughed, "No, not the bits, the finished product. My sculptures usually go for quite a lot. Sold one last year for ninety grand. I installed the security system after someone broke in here and stole a sculpture worth ten grand that I already had a buyer for. They left the shop open during a weeklong rain storm, ruining a lot of my supplies, and I had to restock almost everything. Ended up costing me a hell of a lot more than just the ten grand I lost on that sale."

He pushed the door open and led them through a covered breezeway to the door of the cabin. He punched in a code and pushed the door open to reveal a darkened kitchen. He reached in and flipped on the lights and Dawn gasped as they gleamed off the stainless steel appliances, marble counter tops, and hardwood floor. There was a large butcher-block island in the center covered in bulging grocery bags and a rack hanging above it filled with shiny copper pots. "Wow, Trevor, this place is beautiful."

He beamed a smile at her. "Thanks. I spent three years renovating it; just finished last month. I'd planned to move out and live here full time in a few months." He stepped through the door with Dawn following, and they both stopped next to the kitchen island when Spike cleared his throat from the doorway.

"Little help here, mate?"


	83. Chapter 83 Square Footage

Not Long to Wait

Ch 83 – Square Footage

Trevor turned around and looked at Spike and Duncan still standing outside. "Help with what?"

Spike's eyebrow went up and he lifted a hand and pushed against the invisible barrier keeping him and Duncan out. "Need an invite. Vampires, remember?"

Trevor chuckled, "Sorry. Guess I forgot about that. Probably because I've never actually met a vampire that I wanted to have over at my house. What do I have to say?"

"Just invite us in individually and use our names. If you just say _come in_, you'll be invitin' **any** vampire in. Not that there's any 'round here, but it's still not a good idea, 'cause the invite stands 'til you revoke it."

Dawn chuckled, "I keep forgetting about that. I don't have to invite them into my house because I'm not human. They can just walk on in."

Trevor smirked as he bowed dramatically and waved his arm. "Come in, Spike. Come in, Duncan."

Spike rolled his eyes as the barrier disappeared and they stepped into the brightly lit kitchen. Spike nodded at the groceries on the counter. "Your caretaker did a bang up job kittin' us out, mate. Haven't seen that much food in a long time."

Trevor nodded. "Yeah, he's good at his job. For as much as he charges, he should be." He led them through the kitchen and out into a large, airy room. There were several couches and overstuffed chairs scattered around a huge TV and sound system set in one corner. A large stone fireplace filled the opposite corner and a rough-hewn, log staircase led to a second floor balcony that extended the length of the main room and along the wall of the kitchen. Trevor pointed to a series of doors set into the wall underneath the balcony. "There's two guest bedrooms on the main floor and two on the second floor, plus the basement. Where do you want to stay?"

Duncan headed up the stairs and walked down the balcony to the last door. He opened the door carefully, in case the curtains were open, then smiled and stepped in. They heard a loud thump as he dropped his bags then his head poked out the door. "I'll take this one." He backed up and the door closed.

Trevor chuckled. "He went straight for the largest room and the only one with a private bathroom." He looked at Spike. "Can vampires sense square footage?"

Spike barked laughter, "Not that I'm aware of, mate. He probably just chose that room 'cause it's the furthest from yours. Privacy and all that."

Trevor's brow furrowed. "How'd he know which room is mine?"

Spike nodded to the room above the kitchen. "Can smell your scent comin' from the room up there. It's a little old, you haven't been here for a few weeks, but that room is where the scent's the strongest."

Trevor smirked. "Do vampires ever get sensory overload?"

Spike shook his head then shrugged. "Don't know. I never have. It was a bit odd when I was first turned. Could smell things for miles and hear every insect movin' 'round the bone yard Dru buried me in. See details on things far enough away that you'd be hard pressed to see even with binoculars. Took a little gettin' used to, learnin' to filter out what I didn't need to know, but now I don't really notice."

Dawn considered the rooms then looked at Trevor. "Spike and I should probably stay in the basement, I guess. If that's where he's gonna be for the re-souling, I don't want to be very far away from him. Do you have a cot or some sleeping bags or something we can use?"

Trevor chuckled, "Yeah, but I think you'll be fine without them." He walked to a door set under the staircase and opened it then reached in and flipped on the lights. Dawn and Spike both gasped when they reached the bottom of the stairs. The basement was huge. It was carpeted and the walls were finished with warm pine paneling. There was a king size bed covered in pillows set in the corner opposite another big screen TV. There was an overstuffed couch and two easy chairs sitting in the large open space in front of the television. Through the open bathroom door, Dawn could make out a huge tub and the corner of what looked like a large shower.

Spike sputtered, "Yeah… uh… don't think we need sleepin' bags, kitten." He nudged Trevor and smirked. "Ever think 'bout havin' roomies, mate?"

Trevor grinned. "You guys are welcome to stay here as long as you want."

Dawn nodded toward the large empty corner between the bathroom door and the TV. "That where you want to put the cage?"

Trevor nodded. "Good a place as any."

Spike walked over to the bed and dropped the two duffels on the floor then turned with his eyebrow cocked. "Think it's 'bout time somebody explained what the bloody hell we need a cage for, since it seems I'm the one gonna be in it."

Dawn dropped her duffel and set Spike's box gently on the bed then wrapped her arms around him. "It's to protect you. You're gonna be hit with a century's worth of guilt all at once and I don't want you to do anything to hurt yourself, like running out into the daylight or trying to stake yourself or something. I thought a cage would be easier on you than chaining you up."

Spike wrapped his arms tight around her and nodded against her ear. "Thanks, kitten. Just stay close, yeah? I don't want to be away from you."

Dawn looked at the empty corner then glanced over her shoulder at the bed. They were too far apart. Spike would have to sleep on the floor and so would she if she wanted to be near him. She looked over at Trevor. "Can you build the cage around the bed? That way I can stay in it with him and we'll both be comfortable."

Trevor nodded. "Sure. I can build it wherever you want. What kind of door do you want on it? I think I still have that heavy duty security gate I got from an estate sale. I don't have a key for it, though. I was just gonna use the bars."

She shrugged. "That'll work. I can open and lock the door without the key."

Trevor started for the stairs. "All right then. I'll go grab Duncan and we'll get started. Could you pull the bed away from the wall about four feet? I'll need the room to work."

Spike nodded. "Sure, Trev. Thanks. I'll be up in a bit to help out, yeah?"

Trevor waved at him as he disappeared around the corner of the staircase headed for the main floor. Dawn leaned up and pressed her forehead to Spike's. "You're completely sure you want to do this?"

Spike nodded, lightly bumping his forehead against hers. "Yeah, luv. I'm sure."

"Willow said it's gonna hurt. A lot."

"I know, pet."

"How do you know?"

"Angel told me 'bout it once. I know what to expect, luv, but I don't think it'll hurt me as much as it did him."

"Why?"

"I want my soul. He didn't. 'Sides, I was always better at takin' pain than he was. I'll be fine, pet."

"I'm just worried. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't, Bit. Gettin' my soul isn't gonna dust me."

"No, I know that. I mean I don't want to lose **you.** The man that you are. I'm worried that you won't be the same badass, full of attitude vampire that loves me. What if getting your soul changes how you feel about me? What if you don't want me anymore?"

"Pet, nothin' on this earth could change how I feel 'bout you. Nothin' at all. Like you've said, you're stuck with me. I'm not goin' anywhere. I promise that and you keep tellin' me how bleedin' stubborn I am so you know I'm tellin' you the truth."

Her lips curved into a faint smile. "Yeah, I guess. You are pretty stubborn." She squeezed him tight then captured his lips in a gentle kiss. "We should get you cleaned up so we can go help Trevor. Willow should be getting your hair later today and she'll want to do the spell."

He pulled back and tilted his head. "My hair?" He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair, making the curls stand up in messy clumps. His fingers found the short stubbly patch and he grinned. "You cut my hair? When?"

She giggled, "While you were sleeping at the table. Willow needed something of yours to do the anchoring spell, so I Fedexed her some of your hair."

He chuckled, "Wonder if bleached hair of vampire is the oddest thing to travel 'round in a Fedex envelope."

Dawn laughed. "I seriously doubt it. There are some pretty strange people on this planet." She tugged his hand and led him into the bathroom and over to the sink. "Lean down and I'll wash the blood out of your hair. How's your foot?"

"It's fine, luv."

She grabbed a towel off the rack next to the sink and turned on the water as Spike stuck his head under the faucet. "Just so you know, we're definitely taking a nice hot bath in that tub before we do the spell."

She massaged the dried blood out of his hair and off his neck then turned the water off and wrapped his head in the towel, rubbing vigorously. When she pulled the towel away, she gasped at the leer plastered on his face and he grinned. "Think I could be persuaded, pet."

She smirked. "Yeah. I'm sure I'll have to twist your arm. Let's go help Trevor before I ravage you right here."

He stepped over and shut the bathroom door then locked it and turned to face her. "That's a good idea, kitten."

She chuckled, "Helping Trevor? Yeah, I know, but we're gonna have a hard time getting out to the shop since you locked the door."

He stepped close and slid his hands under her shirt then growled as he cupped her breasts, flicking the nipples with his nails. "Trevor's gonna have to wait. We're busy."

She leaned back against the counter and moaned loudly as he lifted her shirts over her head and laved her breasts with his tongue, nipping gently and sucking on the nipples. He stood up and turned her to face the counter then lifted her skirt and slid his fingers along her core. "Can't wait, kitten. Need you now."

She pressed back against the hardness behind the buttons of his jeans and whispered, "Take me."

A low growl rumbled through his chest as he popped the buttons of his jeans and slid into her with a hard thrust. He gripped her hips as she bent low, bracing her hands on the counter as she pushed back against him, taking him fully. He slid out slow then slammed back in and the bathroom echoed with the sounds of grunting and slapping skin as he pounded into her fast and hard.

He growled loudly as he watched her in the mirror above the sink, her face contorted in pleasure and her breasts bouncing with each thrust. One hand snaked around to stroke her furiously as his other kept a tight grip on her hip, guiding her along his length. Her walls started to flutter and he pinched her roughly as he slammed in deep, angling his hips to hit that special spot deep inside. She threw her head back and screamed as she clenched around him, squeezing and convulsing. His roar echoed around the bathroom as he slammed into her once more and exploded.

They were both panting and quivering when Dawn's knees buckled and she gripped the counter to keep from falling. Spike snaked his arm around her waist and leaned forward, steadying them with a hand on the counter as he nuzzled into the hair by her ear. "Love you, pet. So much."

She raised her hand and gently gripped the back of his neck, sliding her fingers into his damp curls as she twisted around to capture his lips. "Love you too, Spike."


	84. Chapter 84 Especially Taxing

Not Long to Wait

Ch 84 – Especially Taxing

"Wow. You guys have been busy." Dawn stepped through the open door of the shop with Spike following behind her, their fingers twined together. Duncan was holding the outer frame of a cage wall as Trevor welded the bars into place. A finished wall was leaning against one of the stacks of sheet metal.

Trevor shut off the torch and straightened up then lifted his helmet and smirked. "You too."

Dawn blushed and turned to look at the finished wall. She ran her fingers over the welds then gripped two bars and tried to pull them apart. They bent out a bit and she pushed them back together. "Looks good, Trevor. Pretty strong. Once I hit it with the spell it'll be strong enough to withstand Spike."

Spike stepped forward and looked over the cut pieces of rebar lying on the floor. "What can I do?"

Trevor flipped his helmet down and lit the torch then nodded at the floor as he adjusted the flame. "Hand me another piece when I get done welding this one."

"Right then." Spike bent down and picked up several pieces of rebar.

Dawn walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle. "I'm gonna go make us some lunch… or breakfast? Maybe brunch… whatever. I'm gonna go make food. I'll yell when it's done."

Spike turned slightly and gave her a peck. "Ok, kitten. You toddle off to the kitchen and let us men folk get on with the work."

Duncan chuckled as Dawn smacked Spike on the backside. "You're lucky you're cute, mister. Statements like that could get you hurt." She pinched gently where she'd just smacked then turned and walked back into the house.

She started pulling groceries out of the bags on the counter then smirked at the pile of food when all the bags were empty. "Geez. We're definitely not gonna starve to death." She grinned at the ten packages of Oreos as she started opening cupboards and putting the food away. She pulled open the commercial sized fridge and gasped at all the food stuffed inside. "Holy shit, Trevor! There's only four of us and two of us don't really need to eat!" She pulled out a bottle of juice and twisted the lid off then opened the lid of the vegetable tray and popped a handful of olives into her mouth. She pulled open the freezer door and smiled at the eight different flavors of ice cream. She peeked behind one of the buckets and saw several packages of hot wings then noticed three cartons of smokes tucked into a pocket in the door. The other two pockets contained six bottles of Jack.

She closed the freezer and muttered under her breath, "Well, nobody can say that you leave your guests wanting for anything. That's for damn sure." She took a swig of juice then put the bottle on the counter and asked the empty room, "What should I make?"

XX

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XX

"Ok boys, the food's ready!" She stopped just past the three finished walls leaning against the pile and burst out laughing. Spike and Duncan were holding up the frame of the last wall while Trevor welded the last bar into place. They were both wearing welding goggles and had smears of dirt all over their faces and clothes. Spike's curls were standing up off his head in a wild mess and she could see where he'd been running his dirty fingers through them because there were patches of dark mixed in with the white. "You haven't even been out here two hours! How did you manage to get so dirty?"

He smirked and ran a dirty hand through his hair. "Been workin', pet."

Trevor straightened up, flipped open his welding helmet, and turned off the torch. "Welding's a dirty job, Dawn. Especially when Spike and Duncan get into a wrestling match over the last piece of rebar."

Dawn chuckled, "Who won?"

Trevor smirked at Spike and Duncan then smiled at Dawn. "I did. They dropped it while they were wrestling and I picked it up."

Spike stood up to his full height and puffed his chest out. "I had him pinned."

Duncan laughed. "Yeah, until I flipped you off me and jumped on you."

Spike smirked. "I can't help it that I'm not a bloody huge Scotsman. 'Sides, I wasn't really tryin' very hard. Didn't want to hurt you."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Uh huh."

Dawn laughed, "Well, get cleaned up and come eat."

Trevor took off his helmet and gloves then started toward the house. "We'll just eat fast and get back to work."

Dawn held up her hand. "Uh uh. You three aren't sitting at my table looking like that. You'll wash up or you won't eat."

Trevor stopped and looked at her with wide eyes. Spike took off his goggles and walked past him with a chuckle. "See you inside, mate. I'm gonna get cleaned up."

Duncan smirked. "Yeah. Me too."

Trevor watched the vampires walk through the breezeway then shuffled past Dawn with a muttered, "Yes, ma'am."

She stepped through the kitchen door just in time to see Spike leaning over the table to snatch another wing. "Spike!"

He stuffed the wing into his mouth then turned around with an innocent look on his face that was completely ruined by the smear of wing sauce on his chin. He mumbled around the wing in his mouth. "What?"

Dawn giggled, "Wash first, then eat."

"I didn't do anythin', pet."

She smirked. "The sauce on your chin says different."

He gave her a sheepish look and swiped at his chin with a dirty hand, smearing the sauce as he muttered, "Duncan did it too."

Duncan shouted from the balcony, "No, Duncan did not!"

Spike growled as he headed for their room to the sound of Dawn's laughter filling the kitchen.

XX

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XX

Spike leaned back and rubbed his stomach. "Fine meal, luv. Couldn't eat another bite."

Trevor looked at the pile of bones on Spike's plate and chuckled, "Can vamps get fat?"

Spike smirked and growled slightly, "What're you sayin', mate?"

Trevor held up his hands. "Oh nothing. I've just never seen anyone put away that many hot wings in one sitting. You could be a competitive eater. Even the woman that won our contest at the bar last year didn't eat that many."

Spike nodded at Duncan who was still stripping wings in between swigs of beer. "I think maybe Dunc's got me beat. Think he's tryin' to make up for all the years he didn't eat human food. Right now."

Duncan shot Spike the two finger salute and Spike's jaw dropped. "Where'd you learn that?"

Duncan chuckled at his expression. "You said to watch what you do so I could learn to be a _proper vampire_. You do that all the time."

Spike grinned. "Well, you're not British, so you can't."

Duncan smirked. "I'm Scottish. They do it there, too. The blacksmith used to use it all the time with his friends."

"So why haven't you done it before now?"

Duncan shrugged. "Never really had friends before now."

Trevor watched the exchange with a smirk then his face turned thoughtful. "Uh, Spike?"

Spike looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Uh… this might seem like a stupid question, but… are you sure you don't already have your soul?"

Spike's head tilted so sharply that Dawn heard his neck crack. "What?"

Trevor stammered, "Well… uh… you don't act like someone without one. I mean… Duncan told me that he has his and you don't, but you act a lot like him. Um… you haven't killed anyone, even people who were trying to kill you first, and you rescued those girls at the hotel. Those seem like things a person with a soul would do."

Spike shook his head. "I haven't killed anyone 'cause I haven't needed to and 'cause Dawn would've been cross if I had. And as far as those girls… I didn't do it 'cause I was concerned for their welfare or even 'cause I gave a bloody damn if they died. I heard one of 'em scream and William yelled at me to do somethin' about it."

"William?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah. When Dru turned me, a lot of the man I was stuck with me. I was her first Childe and I don't know if she did that intentionally or if it's just a side effect of bein' made by a dotty vamp that listens to the stars. When she sired Duncan, she managed to leave his soul intact. Maybe she'd gotten better at whatever she was tryin' to do with me or maybe she was just a damn sight nuttier by the time she found him. I don't know, but I guess you could say that William helps me decide what's good and what's not. I ignored him as much as I could when I was with Dru 'cause she wanted me to be evil. She wanted me to kill for her. So I did, 'cause I loved her. I know I'm soulless 'cause I don't feel any guilt for all the lives I've taken."

"I still don't get it. You have a part of your human self still with you and that's what made you stop killing?"

"For the most part, yeah. I've always been love's bitch. I've always adapted my actions to fit the expectations of the woman I loved. Dru wanted a killer, so that's what I was. When I fell in love with Buffy, I changed. Not right away, mind you. I'm still as stubborn as the day is long, and I fought it for as long as I could, but eventually, I changed. She wanted… well, I'm not sure what exactly she wanted, but I **thought** she wanted a partner, someone to watch her back and fight the good fight with her, so I tried to be that. The chip helped me along that path 'cause I couldn't hurt humans, but mostly I just got pounded on 'cause she was disgusted with herself for havin' feelings for a soulless demon."

Dawn gently squeezed Spike's leg. "What would you have done if you had gotten the chip when you were still with Dru?"

He shrugged. "I probably would've been the same evil bastard I'd always been, just wouldn't have been able to hunt for myself. Dru would've had to bring me food… well… 'til she got tired of takin' care of me, then she would've got shut of me and moved on to someone else."

Trevor's head tilted. "So you don't kill now because…"

"William tells me not to 'cause Dawn wouldn't like it. I love her and don't want to lose her, so I'm bein' good. William keeps my demon under control even though it's still screamin' for blood and mayhem. My demon would have me drain you right now if I gave in to the bloodlust." Trevor pushed his chair back from the table slightly and looked at Spike warily.

Spike chuckled and held up his hand. "You're safe, Trev. M' not gonna drain you. My demon may see you as a Happy Meal on legs, but William sees you as a mate." Trevor's eyes went wide in alarm and Spike laughed. "Not that kind of mate, ya git. A friend." Spike chuckled at Trevor's look of relief then muttered under his breath, "Bloody Americans."

Spike looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. "Uh… let me see if I can paint a clearer picture for you, yeah?" Spike looked at Duncan who had stopped eating and was just sitting there, listening intently. "Dunc? How many people have you killed?"

Trevor's eyes went wide at the look of guilt that settled onto Duncan's features as he mumbled, "Four."

Spike looked at Trevor and nodded toward Duncan. "See? Four. He's been a vamp for over sixty years and he's only killed four blokes and only 'cause Dru thralled 'im into it. You can see the guilt he feels over those deaths written all over his face. Now ask me how many people I've killed."

"How many people have you killed?"

Spike's features didn't change at all when he said, "Near as I can figure, close to sixty thousand."

Trevor barked as his jaw dropped almost to his chest. "Sixty **thousand**?"

Spike nodded and shrugged. "Yeah, give or take. I've killed men, women, and kids. Some I ate, some I just killed. I don't feel anythin' over those deaths, Trevor. Nothin' at all. You might as well ask me how many fags I've smoked since I was turned, you'd get the same reaction."

"So when you get your soul, you're going to feel the guilt over all those deaths?"

"Yeah."

"How are you going to handle that?"

Spike shrugged. "No idea, Trev, but I figure if Peaches can do it, then I sure as hell can. Plus, I'll have the three of you to help me. Angel didn't have anyone. Probably why he moped about for a century 'fore he snapped out of it."

Trevor stood and headed for the door. "Well, we better get to work finishing up the cage so we'll be ready when Willow wants to do the spell."

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"What do you mean you can't find her? She's the most powerful Slayer in over a thousand years and you can't ascertain her location at all?"

The frail, old witch flinched at the anger in his voice as she shook her head and wrung her hands. "No sir, Mr. Giles. She must have some kind of ward against magic. Every spell we've tried has failed completely or indicates that she is in several places at once."

Giles pounded his fist down on his desk then glared up at the witch. "What about the vampires? Have you tried to locate them?"

The witch took a wobbly step backwards then shook her head again. "Sir, tracking the undead is especially taxing and almost impossible even under ideal circumstances. It would take every witch in the Council's employ, all working in concert, to even attempt it, and because we don't have anything that belongs to the vampires there is no way to do **any** kind of spell."

Giles jerked open his desk drawer and started furiously digging through the contents then slammed it and opened the one underneath. He dug around for a moment, cursing under his breath, then smiled and lifted his hand out of the drawer as he slowly pushed it closed. He stepped out from behind his desk with his hand held out in front of him. "Would this do?" He opened his hand to reveal a battered Zippo lighter.

The witch tentatively reached out and plucked the lighter from his palm. She closed her hand around it and her eyes drifted shut as her hand tightened on the lighter. She opened her eyes and whispered, "This belongs to William the Bloody?"

Giles nodded. "Buffy gave it to me just before the final battle with the First and asked me to return it to him someday. Will it suffice?"

The witch smiled. "Yes sir. It will do nicely."


	85. Chapter 85 Lessons

Not Long to Wait

Ch 85 – Lessons

Dawn was putting the leftovers in the fridge when Spike eased one of the finished cage walls carefully through the kitchen door. It was a tight squeeze, but it fit. Duncan followed him, carrying another wall, and Trevor brought up the rear, wearing his welding helmet and carrying a bucket full of tools and his welding torch.

Dawn quickly wiped down the table and tossed the rag into the sink then walked out to the shop and picked up one of the finished walls. She met Spike and Duncan in the kitchen and Spike bent down and gave her a quick kiss as they passed each other. She maneuvered the wall down the stairs with some difficulty then set it against the other two that were leaning up against the wall. Trevor was taking measurements around the bed and mumbling to himself as he scratched something down on a scrap of paper.

A stream of British curse words floated down the stairs following a loud thud. Dawn jogged up the stairs and looked around the corner to see a cage wall tilted precariously on the top step and Spike cursing around the finger in his mouth. "What happened?"

Spike mumbled around his finger. "Nothin' much. Just smashed my soddin' finger between the cage and the doorframe."

"Is it broken?"

"No, 's fine, pet." He pulled his finger out of his mouth then took hold of the cage wall, holding back a wince as he wrapped his broken finger around the rebar. He wrestled the wall down the stairs and leaned it against the others then put his finger back in his mouth and sucked most of the blood off. When he pulled his finger out of his mouth it was misshapen and bent at an odd angle, but the bleeding had stopped. He peeked back up the stairs and saw Dawn helping Duncan carry down the welding canisters.

He walked quickly to the other side of the room and, with his back to the stairs, straightened his finger with a loud crack. He bit his tongue, trying to hold back the yell just as Dawn stepped off the staircase with her arms wrapped around a large canister of oxygen. She heard his strangled yell and her eyes flew up to look at him. She could tell by the way he was standing that he was in pain. She gently dropped the canister and rushed over to him.

He moved his hands behind his back just as she stepped in front of him. "What's wrong?"

He grimaced as his broken finger bumped against his other hand then tried to smile. "Nothin', pet. Finger's just a bit sore. We should get back to work."

She frowned. "The look on your face tells me that it's more than just a _bit sore_, Spike. Let me see it." He sighed then slowly raised his injured hand and she cringed. "Geez, Spike! It's cut almost all the way through! I can see bone!" She turned to Trevor. "Do you have a first aid kit somewhere? Spike's hurt."

Trevor nodded over his shoulder at the stairs. "Yeah, in the bathroom on the main floor. It's in the linen closet behind the door."

Dawn took Spike's uninjured hand and pulled him toward the stairs as Trevor called over his shoulder. "I need the security gate and those long pieces of rebar next to the DeSoto. Could you bring those when you come back down?"

Spike called back, "Sure, mate. Be back in a bit."

Duncan set down the canister of acetylene and followed Dawn and Spike back up the stairs. "I'll start carrying stuff down. You can help when you're done getting yelled at."

Spike turned to look back at Duncan and stumbled a bit on the steps Dawn was still dragging him up. "Yelled at? What're you on about?"

Duncan smirked. "She's pissed." They stepped into the main room and Duncan veered toward the kitchen while Dawn dragged Spike toward the bathroom. "Good luck."

Spike looked quizzically at Duncan then turned to look at the woman currently pulling him toward a door under the balcony. Her shoulders were tense and when she turned her head slightly to look at Duncan he could see her lips pressed into a thin line. *_Oh bollocks. What did I do?*_

Dawn opened the bathroom door and motioned curtly for him to stay put while she closed the curtains. When the sunlight had been effectively blocked out, she flipped on the lights then pointed to the toilet and said, "Sit."

Spike walked over to the toilet then closed the lid and sat down, looking at Dawn warily as she jerked open the closet door and started shifting things around on the shelves. "Uh… are you cross with me, pet?"

She didn't look at him when she said shortly, "Yes." She finally found the first aid kit and pulled it off the top shelf then kicked the door closed and set the kit on the sink. He watched her angrily open it and start digging through the bandages and what all until she came up with a finger splint, a roll of gauze, and a small ace bandage. She set the kit on the floor then wet a washcloth and dropped to her knees in front of him to gently sponge the rest of the blood off his mangled finger.

When his finger was wiped clean she looked up at him. "Does this need to be straightened any more or will it heal ok like this?"

"It's fine, luv. Why are you cross?"

She wrapped his finger lightly in the gauze then gently placed the splint and secured it with the ace bandage, wrapping it over his hand and around his wrist before she pinned it in place. She got to her feet and held her forearm out to him. "You need to feed so you'll heal."

He took her hand in his undamaged one and shook his head. "Not 'til you tell me what I did to make you angry."

She looked down at him and blinked, trying to keep the tears from spilling out, but it didn't work. "You were hurt and you tried to hide it from me. Why?"

Spike frowned at her tears then looked away toward the window and mumbled, "Just an ingrained habit, I guess."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed and looked back up at her. "Angelus taught me well, pet. Whenever I managed to injure myself, he'd see it as a sign of weakness and give me a lesson to _correct my behavior._"

"A lesson? How would he give you a lesson?"

Spike shrugged. "The usual ways. By poundin' on me or chainin' me up and torturin' me for a while. He couldn't abide weakness or recklessness in his Childer. Thought it reflected badly on him, so I got used to keepin' my injuries hidden. If I didn't, he'd just add to 'em. The _lessons _ I learned under his fists are still with me even over a century later, pet. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but if you pound on me long enough I'll eventually get the idea. And I suppose it gave him another reason to beat on me, you know, aside from bein' a sadistic git that enjoyed causin' me pain."

"So why did you hide it from **me**,Spike? I'm not going to be mad that you got hurt. You've been hurt a lot since I found you and I've never gotten mad at you about any of it. Why did you think today was different?"

Spike sighed again and squeezed her fingers. "Guess it's 'cause all the times I was hurt before, there was a good reason. I was fightin' or ambushed or captured, it wasn't from my stupid git self not payin' attention to what I was doin'. Those kinds of injuries made 'Gelus the angriest. The one that made me start hidin' 'em was the time I got royally pissed and passed out under a broken window and my leg caught fire when the sun came up. I made the mistake of complainin' about it and he stripped me naked and chained me up under that same window and tortured me for almost a week. He'd open the curtain he put up and let the sunlight start burnin' me then put out the flames with holy water. Every time he aimed the sunlight at an undamaged part of my body, he'd remind me that I could've dusted myself 'cause I was too stupid to pay attention to where I was. By the time he ran out of undamaged skin, I'd more than learned the lesson. From then on, whenever I did somethin' stupid or reckless and ended up hurtin' myself, I made double sure not to let 'Gelus know 'bout it."

Dawn's face was screwed into a disgusted scowl when she whispered, "Goddess, Spike. He burned all of you?"

Spike shook his head. "Not all of me. He left my head alone."

She was quiet for a few seconds while that sunk in then she turned and clamped her hands to her mouth to try to keep her meal down. She took a few deep breaths as she tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling, swallowing past a huge lump in her throat. Her face was pale and drawn when she looked back at him. "That was a _lesson?_ And he did stuff like that to you all the time?" Spike nodded and her face turned stormy. "Remind me to kick Angel in the nuts the next time I see him."

Spike smiled then shook his head. "Wasn't Angel that did it, luv. Was Angelus."

She growled, "That doesn't make it ok, Spike."

He shrugged. "Maybe not, but it is what it is, pet. Hurtin' Angel isn't gonna change what Angelus did. 'Sides, I survived it. You know what they say; whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

She scowled and took his uninjured hand in hers and squeezed it. "So you hid it from me because it was an accident?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. It's just habit. I wasn't payin' attention and I got hurt, so I hid it. Just like 'Gelus taught me."

She dropped to her knees in front of him again and gently took his injured hand in hers. "You don't have to hide things from me, Spike. I'm not gonna be angry with you if you get hurt and I'm definitely not going to give you any _lessons _ because of it. I want you to feel like you can tell me anything."

He leaned forward and gently kissed the top of her head then rested his forehead on it. "I know and I do feel that way. I didn't mean to hurt you or make you angry and I'm sorry."

She reached up and wrapped her arms around him then whispered into his hair. "You don't have to be sorry, Spike. After all the shit you've been through, I can't be angry with you for doing what you were conditioned to do. Just next time something happens, please try to remember that you can tell me about it. Especially if you need to be bandaged up or something. I don't want you to be in pain if I can do something to help. Ok?"

"Ok, pet. I'll try." He wrapped his good arm around her and squeezed her tight. They sat like that for a few minutes then he leaned back and held up his hand as he leered at her. "That offer to feed still good?"

She smiled then leaned up and gently nibbled on his bottom lip. "Yeah, it's still good." She slipped her hands under his shirt as she nipped down his neck and nibbled lightly on her mark. He groaned as his hands came up to tangle in her hair then hissed as his broken finger bumped against her head. She pulled back and gently took his hand then laid it on the edge of the sink. "Keep that there."

He nodded as she pushed his shirt up then latched onto a nipple and drew it sharply into her mouth then bit down. This time he hissed for an entirely different reason. She smiled against his skin then laved the nipple with her tongue and moved over to the other nipple as her fingers popped the buttons of his jeans and pulled him free. He moaned deep in his throat as she licked and nipped down his stomach then took him in her mouth. He was gripping the sink and thrusting his hips as she took him deep and swallowed around him over and over. When he started to tense, she let him go then gave him a gentle lick and got to her feet.

He was panting as he gazed up at her with dark, hooded eyes. They followed the path of her skirt up her legs as she slowly lifted it then stepped forward and straddled him. She sank down onto him with a loud moan and started rocking her hips as she brought his mouth to her neck. He slid his hand up her leg then wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close as he licked and bit gently at his mark. Her breath was coming in short pants when she felt him change against her neck. She cried out when his fangs pierced her skin then moaned loudly and rocked her hips faster as he started pulling blood.

He sucked hard at the bite as he thrust up into her then tensed and roared against her neck. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she clenched and threw her head back to scream at the ceiling. He pulled a few more mouthfuls as she quivered and twitched around him then slid his fangs out and licked the bite closed. He slid his hand under her shirt and gently caressed her back as she dropped her forehead to his shoulder and panted, "Did you get enough?"

He tugged on her hair to get her to raise her head then leaned close and captured her lips in a slow, gentle kiss. "If you mean blood, then yeah. If you mean you, then never."


	86. Chapter 86  Knowledge is Power

Not Long to Wait

Ch 86 – Knowledge is Power

Duncan was carrying long pieces of rebar through the main room when Dawn and Spike came out of the bathroom. Spike looked over at him. "Is there anythin' left to bring down?"

Duncan nodded. "Just a few pieces of rebar. How's your finger?"

Spike smiled. "Better. I'll go get those."

Dawn shook her head. "Uh uh. I'll get them. You go downstairs with Duncan and rest until your finger's healed." She leaned up and kissed him then whispered, "You can't take a bath with your finger like that, and I'm taking one with or without you, but I'd rather have you there."

She licked lightly across his ear, sending a shiver of anticipation through him, then turned and headed for the kitchen as he frowned down at his injured finger. *_You better get to healin'.* _He stared at his finger, trying to heal it through thought alone, then growled and started for the basement door.

Duncan chuckled, "So, how was the dressing down? Are you sufficiently chastised?"

Spike grinned. "I'm sure you heard how _chastised_ I was, Dunc."

Duncan laughed, "Yeah, we both heard. I think you two scared all the birds out of the trees outside."

Spike laughed, "Sod the bloody birds," then followed Duncan down the stairs, nodding at Trevor as he walked over to the couch and flopped down on his back with his boots propped on the arm. "So what's next, Trev?"

Trevor smirked at the couch. "Building your cage, since you're done getting in trouble."

Spike sat up and looked over the back of the couch. "I didn't _get in trouble._ Dawn didn't understand why I did somethin' and was upset about it, so I explained, and now we're fine. There was no _dressing down _or _getting in trouble._"

"But there will be if you two don't leave him alone and get back to work. I'll kick both your butts." Dawn grinned as she walked over to the pile of rebar and set down her load.

Spike smirked and motioned with his injured hand toward Dawn. "See? You sods better let the injured vampire alone or you'll have to answer to my Slayer."

Trevor chuckled then looked at Dawn. "I'm going to put the gate here, if that works for you."

She nodded. "Do whatever you need to, Trevor. You're the expert."

Trevor pointed to the cage walls. "Ok, grab those and let's get started."

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Two hours and a lot of cursing later had the cage mostly assembled around the bed. Spike's finger splint was lying on the dresser next to the bathroom door and he was holding the gate steady as Trevor attached the hinges to one of the cage walls. "Ok, Spike, you can let go. I'm done."

Spike swung the gate shut and smiled when it latched with a loud clang. "Seems pretty secure, mate. You did a good job."

Trevor grinned. "Thanks. It's the first vampire cage I've built. It wasn't very difficult; wonder if there's a market for these?"

Duncan laughed, "Yeah, maybe we could start our own company. Souled Vamps R Us. You have a vampire that needs a soul? Bring 'em in. Reasonable rates. Group discount."

Dawn laughed from the stairs. "You'd put the Council right out of business. Can you imagine? Resouling vampires instead of staking them. It'd probably make butchers the richest people on the planet, supplying blood for a population of souled vamps."

Spike chuckled, "Don't think so. Most vamps would fight you fang and nail against resouling. You'd end up stakin' more than you souled." He walked over to Dawn and wrapped her up. "Where you been, luv?"

She leaned up and kissed him. "Cleaned up the car. Your baby is now pristine again. No more blood."

Trevor stopped putting his tools in the bucket and looked up at Dawn. "I don't have a bunch of toads hopping around my shop, do I?"

Dawn laughed. "No. The spell worked just like it was supposed to. Actually, it was really easy. I think I'm going to like doing magic." She squeezed Spike. "Just let me know if I start to get too far into it and start using it for everything, ok? I don't want to go all Dark Dawn."

Spike nuzzled her ear and whispered, "I will, pet. Don't worry. And thanks for cleanin' up the car."

She bent down and reached into her boot, pulling out her spell notes from the hotel. "You're welcome. Now could you go see how far you can bend the bars of the cage? I want to hit it with the spell."

Spike nodded and walked over to the cage then grasped two bars and pulled them apart a few inches. He turned so Dawn could get a look then pushed them straight again. "It's already fairly strong, but I'm not sure it'd hold up if I really let myself go."

Dawn smiled and walked toward the cage as she read through her notes. "Ok, everybody stand back." The three guys moved across the room and stood next to the stairs as Dawn took hold of the cage with one hand and started chanting in a low voice. A bubble of light green light surrounded her then extended out and covered the cage as her chanting got louder. She shouted a strange word then tapped the cage and the bubble disappeared with a loud pop. She turned around. "Ok, Spike, try bending the bars again."

He walked forward and grasped the bars then started pulling. The muscles in his arms bulged and the cords in his neck stood out as he poured all his vampire strength into moving the bars. They didn't budge. He let go and stood back, panting slightly. "Can't move 'em at all. Good job, pet. It's vampire proof."

She nodded. "Ok. Time to check the gate. Go inside the cage and I'll lock the gate, then you try to get out."

Spike nodded and pulled the gate open easily then stepped inside the cage and pulled it shut behind him. Dawn held her hand over the lock and green light flowed from her palm and everyone heard the lock click into place. "Ok, Spike. Let's see what you've got."

Spike stepped to the gate and wrapped his hands around the bars then started shaking it violently. The cage didn't even tremble. He grinned then stepped back and launched a vicious kick at the gate. His boot slammed into it just beside the lock and he bounced off and fell back onto the bed, sliding across it and tumbling to the floor on the other side. Dawn heard him chuckling as he got to his feet, rubbing his leg. "It's solid, luv. I'm not gettin' out of this thing 'less you let me out." He limped over to the gate and waited while Dawn unlocked it and pulled it open. "So what now? Has Red called yet?"

She shook her head. "Nope, not yet. We should all probably try to get some rest before she does. It's probably going to be a long night."

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The tub in their bathroom was full of hot, soapy water and two relaxed, almost boneless people. Spike and Dawn were sitting on opposite ends of the tub, submerged up to their shoulders, with their heads leaning back on the edge and their legs twined together on the bottom. Dawn's foot slipped up Spike's stomach and she traced small circles on his chest with her toes. "Spike?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you remember all the people you've killed?"

It took him a few seconds to clear the sleepy fog from his brain as he sat up just a bit and nodded. "Yeah. Well, most of 'em anyway. There's probably a few in there that I've forgotten 'cause I was either completely pissed or stoned out of my gourd at the time."

She opened her eyes as she raised her head off the tub edge to look at him. "How do you remember so many people?"

"Vamps have a photographic memory, luv. Survival mechanism. Knowledge is power and all that."

Dawn's brow furrowed. "So you remember everything that's happened to you since you were turned?"

Spike chuckled, "Most of it, yeah. Spent a lot of time in the 60s and 70s stoned on something or other, so most of those decades are a bit of a blur."

"So when you get your soul, you're going to feel the guilt that goes with all those memories?"

"Yeah."

"What kind of memories are we talking about? What kinds of things did you do?"

Spike was quiet for a few minutes as he considered his answer. "Um… normal vampire stuff, I guess. Drained people, killed people… some other things."

"Like what?"

His expression was pained when he looked up at her. "You really want me to say it?"

Dawn nodded. "Yes."

He swallowed hard and looked down at the bubbles then heaved a giant sigh. "I've done it all, pet. Torture, murder, rape, sodomy, kidnapping, burglary, you name it. If it's depraved or evil or just plain wrong, I've probably done it at one time or another. Some of it I enjoyed. Did it with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. Some things I did 'cause I was expected to or forced to, but even bein' forced doesn't change the fact that it was me doin' it. I'm responsible for the pain and deaths of thousands and thousands of people; is that what you want to know?"

"What's the worst one?"

Spike's head tilted. "You want me to tell you 'bout the most horrible thing I've ever done?" She nodded. "You're sure? It's not pleasant, kitten. You might think differently of me when you hear it, and I'm not sure I could bear that."

She took hold of his foot under the water and squeezed it gently. "Whatever you tell me isn't going to change how I feel about you, Spike. I know all that stuff is in the past and it's not who you are now. I'm just curious. I want to know what you're going to be dealing with so I can try to help you through it."

He sighed and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. "All right, pet. If you're sure."

She rubbed her thumbs up the sole of his foot. "I'm sure, Spike."

He took a deep breath and started speaking quietly. "Wasn't too long 'fore 'Gelus got cursed with his soul. Darla and Dru'd gone away for one of Darla's regular visits to The Master and Angelus was somewhat at loose ends. They'd been gone nearly three weeks and he was gettin' bored. Apparently beatin' on me wasn't entertaining enough. Boredom and vampires is not a good mix, kitten. 'Specially a bored Angelus. His mind had been workin' overtime tryin' to think of somethin' **fun** to do and he finally found it."

"He came back to our lodgings early one night to collect me then dragged me halfway across town. Wouldn't tell me anythin' about where we were goin' or what we were gonna do once we got there. All he would say is that it was gonna be the best time I'd ever had, but a good time to 'Gelus and a good time to me weren't anywhere near bein' the same thing. I finally stopped pesterin' him 'bout it when he backhanded me and broke my cheekbone."

He opened his eyes and peeked at Dawn, who was listening in rapt attention as she massaged his foot. "We finally came to what I thought was a large abandoned building. Angelus knocked on the door like we'd been invited for soddin' tea or somethin' and sweet talked the sleepy woman that answered into lettin' us in. Turned out it was some kind of orphanage. Place was full of kids."

Dawn looked up sharply and met Spike's eyes. "Kids?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Angelus killed the woman then pulled me into a large room filled with beds. There must have been close to fifty and each one had a sleeping child in it. He went to the closest one and lifted a little girl and handed her to me, then picked up the boy from the next bed. He told me to follow him into the next room so we wouldn't be heard, then he drained the boy."

Dawn whispered, "What did you do?"

Spike stared down at the bubbles floating on the surface of the water. "I hadn't fed for a while, kitten, since before the birds left on their trip. 'Gelus chained me up whenever he left, and when he was there, he wouldn't let me out to hunt, or let Dru bring anyone back, or let me feed from her. He told me I was bein' punished, but wouldn't tell me what I'd done." He trailed his fingers through the bubbles and looked toward the door. "I never did go much for kids, pet. Mostly I'd get 'em for Dru. She loved 'em. Liked to play dress-up with 'em for a while 'fore she ate."

Dawn squeezed his foot and he looked over at her. "What did you do?"

"I drained her, kitten."

Dawn nodded and smiled weakly. "Well, that doesn't sound that bad, Spike. I mean, it's bad, but not as bad as I thought it was gonna be."

Spike shook his head and looked down at the water again. "It gets worse. That first taste of blood after so long fired up my bloodlust in a big way. I was still young, pet, barely twenty years old and 'Gelus knew if he starved me long enough… I tore through the place. I don't know how many I drained or how many I just killed, 'spose if I thought about it for a bit I could tell you, but by the time I came out of the blood haze, all the kids were dead and Angelus was kicked back on the first girl's bed clappin' and smilin' like he was at a show."

Dawn had stopped rubbing his foot about halfway through his description and was just sitting quietly, her hands gripping his foot loosely. Spike waited with his gaze focused on a bubble that was making its lazy way across the water until it bumped up against his chest and popped. Dawn still hadn't said anything and he found that he couldn't raise his head to look at her. Couldn't bear to see the look of horror and disgust that he was sure was flooding her eyes. He raised his hands out of the water and planted them on the edge of the tub then started to lift himself out.

Dawn's hands tightened on his foot and the words came out in a choked whisper. "Where are you going?"

He held himself halfway out of the tub and nodded toward the door, still not looking at her. "Knew tellin' you would change things. You don't have to say anything; I know you're disgusted by me now, so I'll just go. I'm sorry, Dawn."

"Go where?"

"Don't know. Don't really have any place **to** go."

She tugged his foot until he slipped back down into the water. He left his hands on the side of the tub and stared down at the bubbles as she squeezed his foot and started massaging again. "It didn't change anything, Spike, and I'm not disgusted by you. What part of _stuck with me_ didn't you get? And hello… mated. It's just… it's a lot, ok? I'm looking at you and trying to picture you doing that and it's hard."

Spike looked up at her with pleading eyes. "Please don't put those kinds of pictures in your head, kitten. That's not somethin' I want you to think of when you look at me."

"That's what I mean. I can't. I see you in my head… your hands… and I know how… how good… they make me feel and I can't picture them doing… that."

Spike whispered, "They did do it." He raised his hands and clenched them into fists then slammed them down on the edge of the tub. "These hands murdered all those kids, pet, all those people."

Dawn let go of his foot and got up on her knees then moved forward and straddled his legs. She took his fists in her hands and placed them gently on her thighs then leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I know, Spike, I know."


	87. Chapter 87  Because I Do

Not Long to Wait

Ch 87 – Because I Do

Spike was tense, his body all hard lines and sharp angles. She could hear him grinding his teeth and felt the muscle twitching in his jaw where it was pressed against her cheek. Dawn sat back and cupped his face in her hands then tilted his head up and placed a gentle kiss to his lips. "I know you've killed, Spike. I've read your history, remember? I read about that orphanage in one of Angel's books, so I already knew you were there, but it didn't say who killed the kids. I always thought it was Angelus."

His hands were still clenched into fists and lying lightly on her thighs. He squeezed them even tighter, driving his nails into his palms, and whispered through clenched teeth. "No, luv. It was all me." He slid his hands off her and let them drop to the bottom of the tub. "How can you even let me touch you, knowing what you know now? How can you still want me after everythin' I've done?"

She reached down into the water and lifted his hands then gently unclenched them and twined her fingers with his. "Because I do. I love you, and nothing I find out about your past is going to change that. You're a vampire and you spent a long time doing exactly what vampires do. I can't hold something against you that's your nature, besides, you've changed and you don't do those things anymore. I can't not love you, Spike."

He closed his eyes and whispered, "Because of the Claim."

She pressed her forehead to his. "No. Because of you. I've loved you for a long time, even before the Claim. I already knew a lot of what you'd done. Not all of it, because the books I read weren't all detail having, but enough to get the idea. Finding out about that stuff didn't change my feelings then, and nothing else I find out is going to change my feelings now. I need you to believe that, Spike. I need you to believe in us."

He opened his eyes and she gasped at fierce love shining out of the stormy blue. "I don't deserve you, Dawn, not one bit, but I love you with everything that I am, and I'll spend the rest of my unlife proving it to you."

She smiled brightly. "Now that's more like it."

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The old witch shuffled slowly into the office and slapped a wrinkled map down on the desk. "We've found William the Bloody!" With a triumphant grin, she pointed to a dot of black blood that had soaked into the paper. "He's there."

"It's about bloody time." Giles picked up the map and peered at the area surrounding the dot then laid it back down and picked up his phone. "I'll be leaving as soon as the team is assembled. Will you have any way of knowing if he's moved before we reach him?"

The witch shook her head. "No, but we can perform the spell again when you arrive. By then the other witches and I will hopefully be back to full strength. The spell took a lot out of us and it's going to take some time to recover."

Giles nodded as he started punching buttons. "Very well, I'll be in touch. You may go."

The witch shuffled slowly out of the office, tiredness and pain settling into every bone and muscle in her body. She made her way slowly down the hall, stopping several times to lean against the wall and catch her breath. "That man is going to be the death of the lot of us." She wondered briefly if she should have told him what the old seer had whispered to her just before he died then shook her head in exhaustion and continued down the hall. "Let the bloody bastard figure it out for himself."

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Dawn stepped out of the cold water and her foot splashed into a large puddle next to the tub. Spike leaned over the edge of the tub and looked over the half-flooded bathroom, chuckling, "Think the shower might've been a better place for this little interlude, kitten."

Dawn stomped her foot and a few drops of water splashed up and dripped off Spike's nose. She giggled as he wiped the water off his face with a smirk. "Yeah, probably. It was fun, though, and I had a really, really good time. How about you?"

Spike raised himself out of the few inches of water still left in the tub and stepped over the edge. "Brilliant time, pet, but I think you need two or three more reallys in there. Know it was more than two, at any rate."

Dawn giggled and blushed just a bit then whispered, "I need four more, actually."

She bent over the edge of the tub and reached down to pull the plug then gasped when Spike seized her hips and slid into her with a growl. "Want one more really to add to my collection."

She gripped the edge of the tub and held on, moaning and pressing back into him as he thrust into her deep and slow. His hands slid up her sides and curled around her breasts, squeezing and massaging. She arched her back, trying to increase the wonderful pressure on her sensitive nipples, and her hands slipped on the wet edge of the tub. Spike's grip tightened on her breasts, keeping her from smashing her face into the edge as he lifted her torso then wrapped his arms around her.

He backed across the bathroom, holding her tight to him and still thrusting his hips as she lifted her feet and curled her legs around his. He turned and faced the counter then lowered her torso until her hands planted firmly on the edge. She dropped her feet back to the floor and his hand tangled in her wet hair, pulling her head back as he pulled out slowly then slammed back in. "Open your eyes, luv. Want to see you."

She opened her eyes, looking into the mirror above the sink, and he growled as his hands settled on her hips again. He picked up the pace, thrusting into her roughly as she stared at the spot above her head where there should be a beautiful face, contorted in pleasure. His hands slipped up to her breasts, pinching her nipples and rolling them between his fingers then dropping away to let them bounce in time with his thrusts. One hand moved to tug at her hair, pulling her head back a little more as his other hand snaked between her legs and stroked her hard.

He was grunting and growling, almost as loudly as she was, when he suddenly pinched her and she came undone with a loud scream. She clenched tightly around him and his roar echoed around the large bathroom as he released deep inside her. He convulsed as he thrust a few more times then collapsed onto her back, panting harshly. She felt him twitch inside her as his still moving fingers brought her over the edge one more time.

When his breathing had finally slowed he lifted himself off her, pulling out slowly, and pulled her up to lean against his chest. "Got one more than I bargained for, pet." He slid his hands over her belly and up to cup her breasts, flicking the nipples gently with his thumbs.

Dawn arched into his hands and moaned low in her throat, "You keep doing that and you're gonna get another one."

He growled against her ear as he pinched hard, "Really?" She gasped as his hand slipped back down her belly and started stroking her gently. She lifted a foot and placed it on the edge of the counter, giving him easier access. His strokes became harder as his other hand slid over her raised thigh and along her backside to her core. He slipped two fingers in and started thrusting as he nibbled on her ear then moved lower to lick and suck on his mark.

He bit down, not breaking the skin, and she clamped down on his fingers with a loud moan, shuddering as she sagged in his arms and whispered, "Really."

He reached behind him and snagged a fluffy towel off the rack on the wall then wrapped her in it and carried her out to the bed. She fell back onto the pillows and murmured, "Need a towel for my hair or it's gonna get everything all wet."

He fetched another towel, drying himself on the way to the bed, then pulled her up and helped her wrap her hair in it. He pushed most of the pillows off the bed and tugged the covers down as she dried herself off. She dropped the towel on the floor then crawled to the middle of the bed and flopped down, exhausted. He crawled in behind her, pulling the blankets up as he moved, then wrapped his arm snugly over her and they both fell into a blissful sleep.

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"You're sure?"

"Yes, pet. I'm sure."

"Willow probably hasn't started the spell yet, so I still have time to knock you out. You don't have to be awake for this."

Spike wrapped his hands over hers on the bars of the cage and whispered, "I know I don't **have** to, luv, but I **need** to." He gave her hands a gentle squeeze then backed away from the wall of the cage and sat down on the bed. "You just stay out there until it's safe, until I'm safe. No matter what happens in here. Promise me?"

Dawn backed away from the cage and dropped into one of the chairs with a slight nod.

Spike's head tilted, "Need to hear you say it, luv."

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "I promise, Spike."

Spike looked at Duncan and Trevor. "You lads keep her out of here. Don't let me hurt her."

Duncan and Trevor looked at each other then Trevor muttered, "Yeah. We'll get right on that," as he looked at the small woman slumped in the chair with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. A woman that could snap him in half and not even break a nail even though he had almost a foot of height and at least a hundred pounds on her.

Spike grinned faintly. "Just do what you can, all right?"

Trevor nodded just as Dawn's phone rang. She dug it out of her pocket and flipped it open. "Yeah, Angel?" She covered the mouthpiece and said quietly, "Willow's started the spell. Should only be a few minutes." She uncovered the phone. "Yeah, I'll stay on the line."

Spike moved to the middle of the bed and lay back on it, his eyes open and staring at the roof of the cage as he fisted the comforter in his hands. The room was tense and silent except for the sounds of breathing coming from the two humans. Spike looked over at Dawn and caught her eye, smiling faintly, then suddenly twitched as his eyes filled with golden light.


	88. Chapter 88  Shoot First

Not Long to Wait

Ch 88 – Shoot First

Spike arched up off the bed, screaming at the top of his dead lungs, and Duncan dropped to the floor in full game face, howling and clutching his head. Dawn and Trevor both clapped their hands over their ears, but it did nothing to muffle the inhuman noises coming from the vampires.

After what seemed like hours, Spike stopped screaming and dropped back to the bed in a daze. Duncan shook his head, putting his demon away, then got shakily to his feet, one hand pressed to his forehead. Trevor dropped down on the sofa, massaging his temples with his fingertips and leaning forward, looking like he was about to empty his stomach.

Dawn jiggled a finger in her ear, trying to get the ringing to stop, and barely heard Angel's voice drifting up from her phone. She bent down and scooped it up from where it had landed when she'd dropped it to cover her ears. "Angel? You're gonna have to speak up. I can hardly hear anything right now."

"Yeah, there was light in his eyes and then he started screaming. Now he's just laying there."

The vampire in question chose that moment to start clawing frantically at his chest. He keened loudly as his nails shredded the t-shirt he was wearing and scratched deep furrows into the skin over his heart. Dawn jumped off the chair and chucked the phone at a startled Trevor on her way to the cage. She quickly unlocked the door and leapt onto the bed, straddling Spike, then took hold of his arms, trying to pry them away from his chest. He was exceptionally strong to begin with, and the soul burning through his body seemed to make him stronger.

After several seconds of struggling with him, she managed to wrench his hands away and pinned his arms to the bed. She leaned over him, pressing him down as much as she could, panting with the exertion of trying to keep him from harming himself further. She whipped her head around and yelled at Trevor, "What's going on with the anchoring spell? Is she close to being done? I don't know how much longer I can hold him!"

Trevor mumbled something into the phone then nodded at Dawn and said loudly, "Yeah, she's almost done."

Spike started thrashing beneath her, whipping his head from side to side, his fangs shredding his lip. His feet were drumming on the mattress, trying to find purchase so he could rise up and buck off the small woman holding him down, but his bare feet just kept sliding across the smooth fabric of the comforter. Drops of blood were flying from his face and several landed on Dawn's cheek, just below her eye. She automatically loosened her hold on his left arm, intending to reach up and wipe her face, then froze and started to clamp her hand back down, but the momentary distraction was enough. Spike wrenched his arm from her grasp and his hand immediately moved back to his chest. He dug his nails in deep and howled, "Get it out! GET IT OUT!"

"Duncan! Get in here! Help me!"

Duncan wobbled into the cage and took hold of Spike's left forearm, pulling it away from his chest and struggling to pin it to the mattress. When he'd gotten it secured, Dawn slipped to Spike's right side and sat on his right arm as he continued to thrash and buck, howling in anguish.

Suddenly everything stopped. Spike's body fell limp and his howling cut off like someone had flipped a switch. Dawn and Duncan loosened their hold just a tiny bit, ready to clamp back down if Spike started thrashing again. After a few minutes of deafening silence, they let him go and Duncan got to his feet beside the bed. Dawn knelt next to Spike and gently trailed her fingers over the bumpies on his forehead. Duncan whispered, "Why is he still in game face?"

Dawn jerked and looked up at Duncan. "What?"

"His face. Why is his demon still out?"

She looked down at Spike and shook her head. "I don't know, Duncan. I really don't know." She climbed off the bed and started for the cage door. "Stay with him. I'm going to get something to clean him up."

Duncan stepped in front of her. "No. You stay. I'll get something." He stepped through the door without waiting for a response and headed into the bathroom. When he came out holding a damp washcloth, Dawn was sitting next to a bare-chested, bleeding Spike. Duncan walked back into the cage and held out the washcloth. "You want me to get him another shirt?"

She shook her head as she took the cloth. "No. He'll be ok like this." She started gently sponging the blood off his chest, wincing at the deep gouges in his skin.

Trevor walked slowly over to the cage, but didn't step inside. "Um… Dawn?"

She looked up at him, "Yeah?"

He held out the phone. "Um… Angel wants to talk to you."

"Oh. Ok." Duncan took the phone from Trevor and passed it to Dawn. She hit the speaker button and set it on the bed next to her leg. "Yeah, Angel?"

"Is Spike out?"

"Yeah, he's out. How long will he be like this?"

"I'm not sure; I was out for a few hours. Did he do much damage?"

"His fangs tore up his lip, and he managed to gouge himself pretty bad."

"Right over his heart?"

"Yeah."

"He was trying to dig the soul out. I did the same thing right after I was cursed."

"Well, at least we know the spell worked. So, what now?"

"Wait for him to wake up. He's going to be a complete mess for a while, and you'll probably have to force feed him because he'll refuse to eat. I'd restrain him, too. Knowing Spike, he'll probably try to dust himself, or at the very least, damage himself. Getting hit with that much guilt all at once is going to take him a while to deal with."

"How long did it take you?"

"I'll let you know when I'm done."

Dawn chuckled bitterly as she laid her hand gently on Spike's cheek. "Great. Good thing I'm immortal, I guess."

"It may not be as bad for Spike as it was for me. I was without my soul for a lot longer than he was and Angelus did a lot more… uh… stuff… than Spike ever did. Besides, I was cursed with my soul. Spike asked for his, so that might make a difference. Just stay with him and don't leave him alone if you can help it. Your mating bond will go a long way in keeping him calm, and the closer you are to him, the stronger it is."

She gently wiped the blood from his torn lip. "Ok, Angel. Anything else I should know?"

"Nothing I can think of right now. Just keep me informed and call if you need anything."

"Ok. Tell Wils thanks for everything and I'll talk to you later." She flipped the phone closed and looked up at Duncan then over at Trevor, who was still standing outside the cage, watching Spike worriedly. "I'm gonna be camped out in here for a while, guys. Could one of you bring me some snacks or something?"

Trevor nodded and headed for the stairs. "I'll be right back. Anything in particular you want?"

"Sandwiches would be cool and maybe some Oreos?" Trevor waved at her as he disappeared around the corner.

Duncan took the bloody washcloth from her when she held it out to him. "Do you need this rinsed out or anything?"

She shook her head. "No, I got most of it, Duncan. He's clean enough. The blood he took from me earlier is healing him already, and I'll wipe the rest of the blood off when he's healed up. Could you grab me the remote and push the couch out of the way? I'll just watch some TV or something while he sleeps."

"Sure." Duncan moved the couch and fetched the remote then stood uneasily next to the bed. "Uh… need anything else?"

"Not right now. Thanks, Duncan. How's your head?"

"Um… it's ok. It was just… weird. I could feel it."

Dawn looked up at him. "Feel what?"

Duncan nodded at Spike. "His pain. I could feel it when the soul went into him. It felt like I was being ripped apart."

Dawn looked at Spike, lying unmoving and unbreathing with blood still oozing out of the deepest gouges on his chest. "Do you feel anything now?"

Duncan crouched down and picked up a towel from the floor then folded it and pressed it gently to Spike's chest. "No. Everything I was feeling stopped when he passed out."

She climbed off the bed and wrapped Duncan in a hug. "Thanks for being here, Duncan."

He awkwardly squeezed her then stepped toward the cage door. "You're welcome." He stepped through and waited for Dawn to lock herself in then looked over at Spike before he turned and started for the stairs. "If you need anything, just yell. I'll hear you."

Dawn nodded and crawled back onto the bed, wrapping herself around her vampire. She gently kissed his ear and whispered, "I hope you can hear me in there, Spike. I love you and I'm here and you'll be ok."

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Giles was staring out the plane window when a tap on his shoulder startled him out of his reverie. He turned to see a tall man dressed all in black and wearing a shoulder holster, the pistols lying snugly against his sides. "Sir? We'll be landing in just over an hour and I'd like to go over the plan."

"Of course, Commander." Giles stood slowly and followed the man to a large open room near the front of the plane. He took a seat in a plush chair and looked over the other occupants of the room. Eight men total, everyone but him dressed head to toe in black and sporting a variety of weapons strapped to their persons. He accepted a cup of tea from the flight attendant and took a sip. "Where would you like to begin?"

The Commander pulled out the map the witch had slapped down on the desk hours earlier, laying it on a large table in the center of the room. He tossed down several satellite surveillance photos and pointed to one. "The house is surrounded on three sides by heavy forest and a large lake borders it on the fourth side. I believe a lake entry would be the best course of action. The boathouse will cover our advance across the lake and this shop," He pointed to a different photo, "will be a good staging area before we breach the house and a good storage area until we can move the vampires."

The man to his right was cleaning his nails with the point of a wicked looking knife. "So this is a capture and not a kill mission? How many are we after?"

"Based on what intel we've received, two master vampires, one human, and the Slayer."

"We're taking them all?"

Giles set his teacup into the saucer with a small rattle. "The only ones we absolutely need are Spike, one of the vampires, and Dawn, the Slayer. We'll take Duncan and the human, if the opportunity presents itself, but they are not necessary."

"What if they get in the way?"

Giles looked uncomfortable and glanced at the Commander. He reached down and tapped one of his pistols. "We handle it."

The youngest of the group was tapping his foot quickly and chewing his lip. "We're going to kill a human? The vampire… ok… but a human? Can we do that?"

The Commander fixed him with a stern glare. "Jensen, you're only on this mission because of who your sodding father is. If I had my way, you'd still be cleaning weapons in the bleeding armory. You will stay quiet. You will not engage the targets, hell; you won't even disengage the safety on your weapon. You will follow Myers and basically just stay the hell out of the way. Am I making myself perfectly clear?"

Jensen nodded and shrank back into his chair a little. "Yes, Sir."

The man with the knife sneered at Jensen then looked up at the Commander. "So why are we capturing and not killing?"

The Commander looked at Giles and motioned that he should be the one to answer. Giles pulled off his glasses and started polishing. "I had thought to dust Spike right off and be done with it, but I have been informed of a complication. The Council does not want Dawn to die. She is the strongest Slayer in a thousand years and we can ill afford to lose her, especially with the Las Vegas Hellmouth reawakening. We cannot, however, allow her to fraternize with a vampire, especially one from the Aurelian line. She has been allowing him to feed from her, and we fear that her blood is transforming him into one of the strongest vampires to ever exist. He has also Claimed her, and while we are not entirely certain of what that entails, especially since she's not fully human or a vampire, we cannot dust him without first discerning how his end would affect her. Hence the capture. We shall transport them back to Council headquarters and hold them until we can find a way to dispose of Spike without harming Dawn."

The Commander slapped two more pictures down on the table. Dawn smiled up from one photo with her arm around a smiling Buffy. Spike and Drusilla smiled up from the other photo. Drusilla was seated in an ornate chair wearing her usual long, flowing dress and Spike was standing beside her, wearing a dark suit. His wavy brown hair was tied securely at the nape of his neck with a few curls falling over his forehead. The man still cleaning his fingernails leaned over and looked at the pictures. "Which girl?"

Giles pointed to Dawn. "This is the one we're after. She's a bit older than this now, and her hair is longer and black." He pointed to Spike. "Last I saw him; he looked much the same as he does in this picture, although he'll probably be dressed in black, much like you lads."

The man with the knife leaned back with a smirk. "So anyone but these two, we shoot first and ask questions later?"

The Commander shook his head and took a seat. "Actually, shoot first on all targets. Don't shoot to kill, but shoot. I want them down. We're no match for a Slayer and two master vampires in hand to hand, so we'll have to take them down with weapons. Aim for extremities. Just enough to slow them down until we can get close enough to use tazers."

He slid the photos off the map and pointed to a spot on the other side of the lake. "We'll pick the boat up here."


	89. Chapter 89  Oreos

Not Long to Wait

Ch 89 – Oreos

Dawn's eyes flew open and she bolted up, gasping and clutching desperately at the blanket underneath her. A half-eaten package of Oreos slid off her stomach, spilling the small black discs of chocolately goodness haphazardly over the bed. "Oh my God, Spike. Oh my God."

Fragments of the dream paraded through her mind. Blood, screaming, the sickening sound of breaking bones and rending flesh. She could feel the stickiness of blood on her hands and scrubbed them against the comforter, trying to wipe it off. There was something wet on her face and her hands left the blanket, sliding over her cheeks roughly, as more images flashed through her mind.

A tiny, blonde girl cowering in a corner with her arms over her head. Thin, pale hands reaching for her and tugging her close as she screamed. Her tiny hands scrabbling against the chest of the monster as he fisted a hand in her hair and sank his razor sharp fangs deep into her flesh. The quiet gurgling noise that escaped her lips as the last of her blood was pulled from her body.

Dawn leaned over the side of the bed and retched, mangling the edges of the metal trash can in a white knuckle grip. She convulsed and heaved until she was sure that she'd thrown up every single bite of food she'd eaten since leaving Sunnydale. When her stomach stopped trying to claw its way up her throat, she laid back on her sweat-soaked pillow, wiping the sleeve of Spike's robe across her mouth. "God, Spike. You killed her. You killed that tiny little girl."

She laid there, staring at the roof of the cage with unseeing eyes as her head was filled with horrific images of murder and torture, people bleeding and torn and left broken on the ground or hanging in chains. She saw these things through Spike's eyes; saw the terrified faces of countless men and women as their bodies were savagely violated before their throats were torn out. She felt the heat of their blood as it spurted over her face, tasted the coppery tang on her lips and tongue. She heard the manic laughter and feral growls, felt the strength and power of the stolen blood filling her veins. She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to block out the images, sounds, smells, and tastes flooding her mind, but they kept coming.

A loud noise from the vampire next to her snapped her back to the here and now with a sharp jolt. He was violently shaking his head back and forth, rattling the chains Trevor had found in the shop that were now holding his wrists securely to the bars of the cage. He was chanting the same thing over and over, getting louder and louder. "No… not another one. Not again." His hands tightened on the bars of the cage, the muscles in his arms bunching and flexing as he writhed on the bed, his chanting breaking into harsh sobs that wracked his slender frame. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

She rolled toward him and lightly caressed his face as she whispered, "Spike? I'm here, baby. I'm here."

She startled and her hand dropped to his chest when his eyes suddenly flew open, full of confusion and pain. "Where… where am I?" He let go of the bars and tried to pull his arms down then twisted his head, looking up at his bound hands. "Why? What have I done? Angelus?" He looked around wildly, his eyes skating over Dawn without seeing her. "What… where are you? Let me go, Sire, please. I'm sorry. I'll be good…" He closed his eyes and sobbed, "I'll be good, Sire, I promise… please. No more."

Dawn sat up and laid her hand gently on Spike's stomach. He stilled under her touch, but didn't open his eyes. She lifted her other hand and slid her fingers lightly down the side of his face. "Spike, Angelus isn't here. You haven't done anything and nobody is going to hurt you. Please open your eyes for me, baby. Please."

He squeezed his eyes shut tighter for a second then slowly opened them and focused on Dawn with some difficulty. He blinked several times then lifted his head and looked at her hand resting on his belly. His eyes trailed up her arm and finally settled on her face as he dropped his head back to the pillow. He looked up at his hands again then arched off the bed with a scream. "It burns! Please! Stop, please!" He jerked his arms frantically, the chains biting cruelly into his skin as he howled, "I'm sorry! Sire, please let me go! Please stop! I'll be good! Please!" His fingers flexed madly as he continued to pull and twist his arms, blood sliding through the links of the chain and dripping onto the mattress above his head.

Dawn straddled him and leaned down, clasping his head between her hands and holding him until he'd stilled. "Spike. You're ok. Nobody is going to hurt you, but I need you to stop freaking out. You're hurting yourself. Please, Spike, just calm down and look at me."

His chest was heaving with ragged breaths as he opened his eyes. When they fell on Dawn's hair, hanging over her shoulders and brushing against his chest, his face twisted into a look of abject terror. "Dru! You shouldn't be here! Go! Go now! If Angelus finds you here…" He looked around frantically then nodded toward the wall next to the TV. "The door… there. Go, Dru, please, or Angelus will… I can take it, Dru, but please don't make me watch him… not to you… not again."

Dawn quickly climbed off him and stood next to the bed, clutching the bars of the cage for support as violent tremors shook her body. As soon as their contact was broken, Spike's eyes went blank and he stared blindly up at the roof of the cage. She leaned down, looking into his eyes as tears welled up and leaked slowly down her face. "Fuck, Spike. What the fuck did he do to you?" She reeled then dropped to her knees beside the bed as more gruesome images slammed into her brain. More blood, more pain, more death. Boatloads of agony, seen through Spike's eyes as he killed, raped, and fed on dozens. Hundreds. Dawn squeezed her eyes closed as she fell to her side on the floor, clutching her knees to her chest and shaking with silent sobs.

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The men exited the plane quickly; several carrying large bags stuffed with weapons and other supplies as they climbed into a large, black van. As soon as the van was in motion, the bags were opened and weapons, tazers, vests, and other equipment were handed around. Clips were distributed and checked then stowed carefully. Faces were camouflaged, and communications gear donned and tested.

Giles watched it all in fascination. The men didn't speak, aside from testing the com gear, but they didn't seem to need to. The whole process was fluid and practiced. Even Jensen, looking a little shaky and nervous, moved quickly and efficiently, emulating the men around him. Preparations completed, the men leaned back against the walls of the van, clutching their weapons.

The journey to the lake took just under thirty minutes, the van door sliding open and the first man stepping out before the van had even rolled to a stop. The rest of them climbed out of the van and made their way to the dock under the cover of darkness.

The Commander turned to Giles and spoke quietly, "You're sure they can't do anything? Without that, we have no intel… we can't even be sure he's still there."

Giles shook his head. "I have been told, quite forcefully as a matter of fact, that the witches are still too weak from performing the spell earlier and the Council absolutely refuses to risk them by having them perform it again."

The Commander nodded. "All right, we'll just have to assume they're still there." He motioned to his men to gather around. "The plan is going ahead. We'll take positions around the house and move in at first light. Unless an opportunity presents itself before then, everyone hold for my signal. Clear?"

At the sharp nods from his men, the Commander turned and walked briskly to a smallish boat and climbed in. "Let's get this done. I want to be in position in thirty minutes. Move."


	90. Chapter 90  Memories Activate

Not Long to Wait

Ch 90 – Memories Activate

A cool hand grasped her shoulder and shook it gently. "Dawn? Dawn, can you hear me?"

Dawn lifted her head groggily and peered through the bars at the concerned face of Duncan. Her head felt like it weighed a ton and her mouth felt like it was full of wet cotton. "Duncan? What's going on? Where's Spike?"

Duncan nodded to something above her head. "He's asleep up there on the bed. Why are you on the floor? What happened?"

She sat up shaking her head then leaned back against the bars of the cage. "I… I'm not sure. He woke up… sort of… and he was wigging out. I tried to calm him down, but every time I touch him he freaks out. When I'm not touching him… I see… things. In my head. Horrible things." She started digging in the pockets of the robe. "Where's my phone? How long has it been since he got the soul?"

Duncan tapped her shoulder and handed her a cell phone. "Here. You told me to hang onto it, remember? And it's been about nine hours." He watched as she flipped open the phone and scrolled through her contacts. Before she could push the button to send the call he laid his hand on her arm. "Are you seeing anything right now?"

She looked up at him with haunted eyes and nodded. "Yes. I'm still seeing all the horrible things Spike did. God, Duncan, you have no idea. No idea."

"And you're ok? Do you need something… I don't know… a drink or something?"

She shook her head. "No. I… I'm doing… uh… ok… I guess. Maybe I'm getting used to it, or maybe it's because you're here, but it doesn't seem quite as bad as it was at the start. The first one to hit me was an orphanage. A bunch of kids… all dead… Spike killed them all. Then it got worse. Blood… and torture… and… r… rape…"

"You've been seeing stuff like that for **nine hours?**"

She got shakily to her feet, still leaning against the bars, and Duncan stood up outside the cage. "No. I… uh… watched a movie then I guess I fell asleep for a little while. It started while I was asleep. I guess when Spike came out of the… whatever… the anchoring spell did to him." She stepped toward the bed and looked down at the sleeping vampire. "He needs blood. God, look at him. He looks like he hasn't fed for a month." She sat down on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch him, and lifted her arm to his face, lightly brushing it across his lips. "Feed, Spike." His eyes twitched under closed lids, but his face didn't change as he turned his head away from her arm.

She pulled her arm back and looked at Duncan. "Shit. I need something sharp to get the blood flowing. He's so far down he doesn't even know I'm here."

Duncan patted his pockets then turned away from the cage. "I'll get a knife from the kitchen."

Dawn stood up and stepped toward the door of the cage. "No, come in here. You can bite me and get the blood flowing and I'll drip it into his mouth. Hopefully that'll wake up his demon and it'll get the idea."

Duncan stepped nervously into the cage. "You're not worried about him taking too much?"

She sat back down next to Spike, shaking her head. "No. Spike's in there somewhere and I trust him. Besides, even if he drains me, I won't die. Immortalness has its advantages… sometimes." She lifted her arm and looked up at Duncan. "Bite away. You can feed, too, if you want. It's been a while and you're probably hungry."

Duncan lightly grasped her arm as he let his demon out then bent his head and bit gently into her forearm. He pulled several mouthfuls then let her go without closing the bite. "There you go, and thanks."

"No problem." She reached out and turned Spike's head back toward her then moved her bleeding arm over his mouth. His nose twitched as he inhaled deeply then his lips parted and his tongue snaked between them to lick at the blood dripping from Dawn's arm. She lowered her arm and he latched onto the bite, sucking hard, then harder as his fangs descended and pierced her skin.

She gritted her teeth and clenched her free hand into a fist as the feelings crashed into her. The piles and piles of guilt, self-loathing, and remorse coursing through her coupled with the horrific images still being downloaded into her brain caused the edges of everything to gray out. She wobbled then slumped forward, collapsing across Spike's chest, her arm still held tight by his fangs.

"Dawn!" Duncan reached down and grasped her arm, trying to tug it away from Spike's mouth without hurting her, but Spike wouldn't let go. His amber eyes glittered ferally as he focused on something only he could see, his fangs buried deep, anchored in the muscle. "Shit!" *_I could just yank her arm away, but Spike's fangs would tear a huge hole and she'd probably bleed to death.*_ "Shit! Shit!"

Duncan knelt down and moved Dawn's hair so he could see her face. Her eyes were unfocused and half-closed when she whispered, "Enough. Make him stop."

He leaned over Spike's head, trying to figure out how to get her loose. In his panic, he'd completely forgotten three important facts: One – Dawn's immortal. Two – She can't bleed to death – see fact one. Three – He's a vampire that can seal any wound Spike's fangs would cause.

His panicked brain was presenting and discarding ideas at a break-neck pace when something quiet and simple and small floated to the foreground. Spike breathed. Duncan almost chucked it to the wayside with all the other non-workable ideas, then stopped and latched onto it, holding tight. With a slight grin, he reached up and clamped his fingers tight on Spike's nose. Spike jerked his arms and kicked his legs as his eyes flew open in panic. His lips peeled back from his teeth, trying to suck in air, but his fangs were buried too deep. Dawn's flesh and the blood gushing from the savage bite were completely blocking his airway. With a jerk of his head, his fangs retracted and he sucked in a great, whooping lungful of air then started sputtering and coughing. Duncan quickly lifted Dawn's arm, sealing his mouth over the bite and licking the wound closed.

He helped her sit up as he got to his feet and moved beside her so she could lean on him. "Are you ok, Dawn? Did he take too much?"

She shook her head then leaned it against his stomach. "No, it wasn't that. The feelings… he's drowning in guilt… buried in it." She looked up at Spike's bound wrists, wincing at the dried blood on the chains and his pale skin. "I was gonna let him loose, but there's no way I can. He'll dust himself. He wants to so bad. I felt it from his bite. He hates himself, wants to end it."

Spike's breathing had evened out and his eyes were closed, even as his tongue slipped out to lick at the blood coating his lips and chin. Dawn laid her hand gently on his chest, lightly stroking her fingertips over the cool skin. "Come back to me, Spike. Please. Fight through it and come back."

His eyes fluttered open and fell on Duncan, standing tall next to the bed, then they widened in terror. "Sire! Oh God, no! No more! Please!" He started jerking at the chains, tears springing from his eyes.

Dawn leaned down, blocking Spike's view of Duncan, and said calmly, "That's not Angelus. It's Duncan. He's not going to hurt you, Spike. Please calm down."

Spike appeared not to have heard her at all as he started pulling on the chains, whimpering and begging to be released. Dawn sat up, leaving her hand on his chest as she looked up at Duncan. "See? This happens every time I touch him. It's like he's reliving something… something Angelus did to him. He doesn't hear me at all and if he actually looks at me, he thinks I'm Dru or Angelus."

Duncan reached out and lifted her hand away from Spike's chest. As soon as the contact was broken, Spike stilled and his eyes went blank. Dawn lifted her hand to her forehead, grimacing as more images flooded her mind. Duncan pulled her to her feet and away from the bed. "You're seeing stuff again?"

She nodded. "Not again… still. It slows down a little bit when he's freaking out, but as soon as he blanks out like that it picks up speed and gets more… intense… or whatever. I think he's seeing every single person he hurt or killed from the whole time he's been a vampire. And for some reason, I'm seeing it too."

Duncan gently nudged her toward the cage door. "It probably has something to do with your mating bond."

Dawn let herself be pushed toward the door then stopped and looked up at him. "Duncan, where am I going?"

Duncan nodded toward the stairs. "Upstairs. You should get something to eat or go have a smoke or whatever. Take a break. Call whoever you were going to call."

She shook her head. "I was going to call Angel, but I can't leave Spike down here alone. What if he freaks out again? He could really hurt himself."

"I'll stay with him. You need a break. Maybe a little distance will help with the visions or whatever, make them not as strong."

She nodded absently, looking at Spike. "Um… ok. Could you do something for me first?"

"Sure. What is it?"

She nodded at Spike. "Touch him."

Duncan looked back over his shoulder then looked at Dawn quizzically. "Why?"

"I want to see if he freaks out from anybody touching him or just me."

"Oh. Ok." Duncan stepped closer to the bed and laid his hand gently on Spike's arm. Spike immediately jerked in his bonds and his eyes flew open, focusing for just second on Duncan then skating past him to land on Dawn.

He stilled and turned his head, presenting his neck to Duncan, then whispered, "Please. Leave Dru alone, Sire. I'll do whatever you want… take whatever you want to do to me… just please… not her." Fat tears pushed their way out of his eyes, tracking across his anguished features and dripping onto the bed.

Duncan removed his hand and backed away from the bed and Dawn whispered, "So it's not just me."

Duncan shook his head. "No. Wonder what that's about? Why does touching him… activate… the memories or whatever?"

Dawn shook her head angrily. "I have no idea, but I am definitely going to have a nice long talk with Angel about what the fuck he did to Spike. He's so completely lucky that he's in LA instead of here. It's bad enough that Spike's seeing every person he ever hurt, he doesn't need to deal with all the Angelus crap too."

Duncan took in the murderous look on her face, suddenly immensely glad that he wasn't Angel. "Um… ok. I'll watch Spike. You go… uh… do something else."

She nodded and turned, heading for the stairs. "I won't be gone long; I'm just going to go make a sandwich or something." She climbed the stairs slowly and paused at the corner to look back at Spike then, heaving a sigh, continued up.

Duncan debated whether or not he should stay inside the cage. The gate was unlocked, but Spike was restrained, so he exited the cage and sat down uneasily on the couch, clasping his hands together in his lap as he watched the pale vampire sleep.

The kitchen was dark and full of shadows as Dawn stepped through the door. Her hand hovered over the light switch for a second and then dropped away. A lamp mounted on a pole in the yard was casting weak light through the large window behind the table, giving Dawn just enough light to see with. She looked around slowly, realizing suddenly that her night vision had improved greatly since the Mating. She could see clearly, as if the kitchen was lit with blazing floodlights. She made her way easily over to the refrigerator and pulled the door open, flinching back at the harsh white light that assaulted her. "Shit!" She slapped her hand down on the button just inside the fridge door and the light went out. She rummaged around with her free hand, coming up with a pre-packaged gut bomb and a bottle of juice.

She let the button go and bumped the door closed with her hip then turned and placed her snack on the island. She peeled open the stiff plastic encasing her sandwich then stepped around the island to snag a paper towel off the roll next to the sink. She turned back to the island and as she reached across to pull her food closer, the paper towel slipped from her fingers and floated lazily to the floor. She was bending down to pick it up when the window behind the table suddenly exploded inward. Blinding pain flared in her head and she collapsed to the floor and lay there, twitching slightly as the puddle of blood surrounding her slowly got larger.

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Jensen's eyes got huge as he lowered the spotter scope and turned slowly to Myers. "You shot her in the head."

Myers hissed, "I had a clear shot, not my fucking fault she moved. Now shut up." He shakily thumbed the button on his com unit. "Uh… Sir? We may have a problem."


	91. Chapter 91  I've Been Shot

Not Long to Wait

Ch 91 – I've Been Shot

Willow bolted up suddenly, her eyes wide and her mouth open in a silent scream. Angel's eyes popped open at her sudden movement and he sat up, staring wide-eyed at the bubble of bright blue energy surrounding her. It was pulsing and swirling and… seemed to be getting bigger. Suddenly it expanded forcefully, slamming into him and launching him off the bed like a bolt from a crossbow. He flew across the room then crashed into the wall and bounced off, landing in a heap on the carpet. He climbed to his feet and moved back toward Willow, laying his hands on the energy bubble that now surrounded the entire bed. It flashed and he was flying through the air again… then bouncing off the wall… again. He got back to his feet… again, and stepped toward the bed, making sure to keep out of range of the bubble. "Willow! Wake up!"

She blinked and her eyes gazed blankly around the room. He shivered as they passed over him. It felt like ice cold fingertips brushing against his skin. He watched as her emerald green eyes turned to pools of inky black and her fire red hair became a raven mane. Her mouth started moving, but either she wasn't making any noise or the bubble was blocking it, but it looked like she was chanting something. He looked closely, trying to focus on her through the shimmering wall of the bubble. He could tell by the way her throat muscles were working that she was shouting at the top of her lungs. He leaned close, straining to hear, and just barely made out what she was saying over and over.

"Ut unus futurus ceterus can non exsisto exstinguo!"

He listened intently, committing the phrase to memory, then stood back and watched. Not much else he could do at this point.

With one last shout, the bubble exploded in a flash of light and Willow collapsed to the bed, energy crackling all around her. Angel rushed to her side, shaking her gently and calling out to her quietly, "Willow… wake up, please Willow… please."

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking several times as the black bled out of them and they shifted back to green. Angel carded his fingers through her hair as it changed back to red, then startled and jumped back when she shouted, "Dawn!" She bolted from the bed, searching the floor for clothes and pulling them on in a hurry. She picked up Angel's pants and tossed them over her shoulder. "Get dressed! We have to get to Dawn. She's dead. Again."

Angel jumped into his pants then snatched his shirt up off the floor and pulled it on. "I'll call down for the jet. We can be there in a little over an hour."

Willow rushed around the bed and clasped his hand tightly in hers. "No time." Her eyes flashed black and they disappeared with a loud pop, leaving behind a swirl of black smoke.

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Trevor bolted through the kitchen door clutching a wicked looking hunting knife in one hand and a stake in the other. He hit the light switch with his elbow on the way by, flooding the room with bright light. He squinted as the light assaulted his eyes and crashed into something large and unyielding… something that hadn't been there a second ago. He bounced off and fell to the floor, landing on his backside, then scrabbled away, feet sliding on the smooth wood floor as he stared wide-eyed at the red-headed woman and dark, spiky-haired man that had suddenly appeared in the middle of his kitchen.

Suddenly the man was violently jerked backwards. He slid across the floor, a somewhat comical expression of utter surprise on his face as he crashed through the bottom of the kitchen door, leaving a gaping hole. He fetched up against the wall of the shop with a pained groan and Trevor clambered to his feet, keeping his back against the wall and his eyes on the woman. "Who the hell are you and what the hell just happened?"

Duncan burst into the kitchen, sliding to a halt just before he collided with the woman slowly getting to her feet as she shook her head. He backed away from her and did collide with Trevor who yelped, "Hey!"

Duncan jumped forward then stopped moving altogether as a familiar scent assailed his nostrils. "Dawn." He turned toward the sink and saw Dawn's foot, surrounded in a faint green glow, sticking out from behind the island.

The woman grabbed his arm. "Where?"

He looked at her warily, his nose wrinkling slightly at the smell of power rolling off her. "Who are you?"

"I'm Willow. Where's Dawn?"

He nodded toward the island. "Back there."

She rushed around the island, her eyes widening in shock as she slipped in the huge puddle of blood. She caught herself on the counter and stepped back, breathing hard. "Goddess, there's so much blood."

Duncan stepped up on the other side and looked down at the slim woman lying on the floor, her long black hair soaking in the puddle of blood surrounding her head. He felt a slight breeze and looked over at the broken window then looked back at Dawn, squinting through the bubble of green light at something glinting in the puddle. "She's been shot. Look, there's the bullet."

Willow reached down and shifted Dawn's blood-soaked hair, exposing the large hole in the side of her head. "She's healing. Her body already pushed the bullet out."

Trevor, who was still leaning against the wall staring at Willow, asked shakily, "Who's the guy outside?"

Duncan looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Trevor pointed to the broken kitchen door. Duncan stepped forward and bent down, peeking through the hole, then straightened up and smirked. "That's Angel."

Willow stepped forward, leaving bloody footprints on the wood floor, and bent down to look. "What's he doing out there?"

Trevor stammered, "He showed up the same time you did, but then he slid across the room and completely destroyed my solid oak, custom made door. Do you have any idea how long it took me to make that?"

Duncan walked over and opened what was left of the door. It hung forlornly by the top hinge and Willow smiled sheepishly. "Um… sorry about your door, I wasn't thinking. I just transported us to where Dawn was… never stopped to think about vampire rules and whatever."

Angel got to his feet slowly and stepped up to the threshold, brushing dust and bits of door off his clothes and out of his hair. Trevor stammered as he eyed Angel warily, "He's a vampire?"

Angel nodded. "Yes. That's why I ended up out here. I wasn't invited, so when I popped into your kitchen, the barrier pushed me out. You need to invite me in."

Trevor sputtered, "Need to? Who the hell are you people?"

Duncan chuckled and pointed at the door. "That's Angel." He turned and pointed at Willow. "And that's Willow." He stopped and waited for it to sink in.

He chuckled again when it did and Trevor's eyes got huge as he whispered, "Angelus?"

Before Angel could even nod, he jerked sideways with a pain filled yell. He straightened back up then looked down at the blood spot blooming on the sleeve of his shirt. He tore through the material and swiped at the bullet hole in his upper arm then looked at Willow. "I've been shot."

Trevor dropped to the floor, whispering harshly, "Everybody get down! Angelus… come in!"

Angel dove through the door as Duncan and Willow dropped to the floor in front of the island. Another bullet buried itself into the cabinet above the sink, passing through the space that had just been occupied by Duncan's head. Willow held up her hands and waved them in a circle around her as her eyes started bleeding black. A bubble of energy expanded from her chanting form, pushing out in all directions until it completely surrounded the house. She dropped her hands then looked at the light switch on the wall and flicked her fingers in its direction. The lights went out. "I've warded the house so nothing should be able to get in, but I'm not sure about bullets. We'd better stay down just to be safe." She looked at Trevor and Duncan. "Where's Spike?"

Duncan sat up and peeked over the table, peering through the broken window. He could just make out two shadowy figures some distance from the house, hiding in the edge of the tree line. "He's downstairs. There's two people out there. One for sure has a rifle. He's probably the one who shot Dawn and Angel."

Angel sat up, holding his hand over the hole in his arm. "How is Spike?"

Duncan looked at him. "Right now he's unconscious. I was down there keeping an eye on him while Dawn got something to eat. One minute he was sleeping… just laying there, dead to the world… and the next he was howling and thrashing and trying to get his hands loose. I tried to hold him down, but every time anybody touches him…" He stopped suddenly, casting a glance at the foot he could see on the other side of the island. "Uh… anyway, I couldn't hold him, so I punched him. Knocked him out."

Willow nodded slowly. "He felt Dawn die. That's why he wigged out."

Angel frowned. "Then why didn't he dust?" He tilted his head slightly as he concentrated on Spike. "I can still feel him. He should've dusted when Dawn died. It's part of the mating bond. One dies… the other dies."

Willow got to her hands and knees and crawled around the island, stopping when she reached the edge of the blood puddle. "I'll tell all of you what's going on as soon as Dawn and Spike wake up. Right now, I'm going to get her cleaned up and then we all need to go downstairs so the people shooting at us won't be able to see anything."

Trevor crawled over to the kitchen doorway, making sure he was out of sight of the window before he got slowly to his feet. "Who's attacking us and why would they shoot Dawn?"

Willow's voice drifted up over the island. "The Council and I don't think they meant to. I'll fill everybody in downstairs. Duncan, could you carry Dawn?"

Duncan crawled around the island and waited while Willow chanted. A bright flash of light zapped the blood away and Duncan carefully lifted Dawn and crawled to the kitchen door, dragging her along the floor underneath him. When he was out of sight of the window, he got to his feet and hoisted Dawn into his arms, cradling her against his chest. Willow pushed her hair away from the bullet wound and nodded. "It's already closed. She should be waking up soon."


	92. Chapter 92  What Did You Do

Not Long to Wait

Ch 92 – What Did You Do

Duncan was halfway down the stairs, the rest of the group following silently behind him, when Dawn stirred. She murmured something low as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his neck, nibbling lightly. Duncan froze with a strangled, "Eep!" then whispered, "Dawn?"

Dawn stopped nibbling as her eyes flew open, taking in the dark hair inches from her face. "Duncan?" He nodded and she slowly removed her arms and lifted her head. "Uh… you can set me down now." He set her lightly on her feet, gently grasping her arms until he was sure that she was steady. She looked up at him with a blush staining her face. "Sorry."

He shrugged with a small embarrassed grin. "No problem. At least Spike didn't see, because... you know… I kind of like my head where it is."

She smiled back. "Don't worry about it; it's not your fault. I mean, I just woke up and thought it was Spike holding me… hey… wait a minute. Why was I asleep and why were you carrying me? Did I fall asleep in the kitchen or something? I don't remember falling asleep. I remember getting a sandwich and some juice and a paper towel…"

Dawn startled at a loud giggle coming from behind the wall of Duncan then her eyes went wide when a laughing mess of red hair poked around him. "You've picked up the Scooby babbling bug, Dawnie. You babble like a pro."

Dawn squeaked, "Willow? What are you doing here? When did you get here? Shit! How long was I out? Why was I out? Where's Spike? Somebody tell me what the hell is going on!"

Duncan nodded to the room at the bottom of the stairs. "Spike's knocked out and you were shot in the head again. Kind of looking like it's a habit for you. I mean, that's twice and I've known you less than a week."

Willow lightly pushed against Duncan's back to get him moving again and snagged Dawn's arm on her way by. "I had a dream or a vision or something. That's why I'm here."

Dawn turned and walked down the stairs, her arm clutched in Willow's hand as she nodded slowly. "Oh. Ok." She glanced back over her shoulder and finally noticed the two people walking down the stairs behind her. Angel had his hand clamped tightly over a bloody hole in his sleeve and Trevor was following him, his face white and a knife and a stake clutched in his fists. "Angel? You're here too? What happened to your arm?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm here. Willow poofed us into the kitchen and the vampire barrier pushed me out of the house." He nodded back over his shoulder at Trevor. "I was shot while I was waiting for him to invite me in."

Dawn's eyes went wide as the words finally sank in. *_Angel was shot. I was shot.* _Her throat constricted as all the air seemed to have been suddenly sucked out of the room."I died?" She stopped dead on the stairs, her mind trying to decide if she should scream or just crumple to the ground. Her hand shot out and snagged Duncan's arm, spinning him to face her. "You said Spike was fine, right? He's not dust? He didn't die when I did? He's still down there?"

Duncan was close enough to the corner of the staircase to lean down and peek around the corner. Spike was lying on the bed, just as he'd left him. He turned and looked at Dawn with a smile. "He's still there, Dawn. Same as he was when I went upstairs."

Dawn let out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding then drew in a fresh lungful and growled, "So who the hell is shooting at us? No wait… don't tell me… the fucking Council." She growled a little louder, "So Giles just wants me dead now. That son of a bitch. I wish he was here right now so I could… aarrgh!" Her hands clenched into fists as she stomped the rest of the way down the stairs and over to the cage. The door was open and Spike was lying unconscious on the bed, blood dripping slowly out of his nose and down his cheek and a large bruise forming over his left cheekbone. She spun and rounded on Duncan. "What the hell happened? What did you do? Why is he bleeding?"

Duncan held up his hands and started backing away, sputtering. "I had to do something! He started freaking out when you died and I didn't want him to hurt himself. I tried holding him down, but… you know… so I had to punch him. I'm sorry, Dawn."

Willow quickly stepped close and took her arm. "Calm down, Dawn. I'll explain everything. Just sit with him; I'm going to wake him up. He needs to hear this too."

Dawn shook her head. "I wouldn't do that, Wils. He's been freaking out for a while now. He's locked in his memories or something so he won't hear anything we say anyway. We should let him rest." Her face molded into a murderous glare as she pinned Angel with her gaze. She took a menacing step toward him, spitting out through clenched teeth. "He's been freaking out because anytime anyone touches him he relives whatever the fuck you did to him." She stalked closer to Angel, her hands clenching again into tight fists. "What exactly did you do to him to make him beg? To make him whimper and cry and yell and scream? How much did it take to break him? What. Did. You. Do. You. Fuck."

Willow gasped and started to step forward, but Duncan snagged her arm and shook his head. He leaned in close and whispered, "She needs to do this and he deserves it. Let's go sit down. She's not going to kill him… I think." He led her over to the couch, tugging a little harder on her arm when she started to resist, then snagged Trevor on the way. They all sat down, eyes trained on the two people facing off in the middle of the room.

Angel watched their progress across the room out of the corner of his eye then hung his head, remorse clearly written in his features as he said quietly. "It would probably be easier to list the things Angelus **didn't** do. That would be a much shorter list."

The crack of Dawn's hand meeting Angel's cheek echoed through the basement. "No. You don't get to do that. You don't get to blame Angelus. It was **YOU**, Angel. **All you.**" Angel's mouth opened and Dawn raised her hand again, this time curling it into a fist. "If you even say it… "

Angel snapped his mouth closed then whispered, "You're right." He looked up at Spike. "But I never broke him. He was too strong."

Dawn laughed, a slightly hysterical edge making it higher than usual. "Yeah right. You didn't see him before, Angel. He was begging to be let loose. Begging you to leave Drusilla alone. Pleading with her to leave before you did something else to her. Offering himself up to be hurt instead of her. How is that not broken?"

Angel looked at her with hard eyes and in that moment she saw Angelus. The demon's gaze burned out of Angel's chocolate brown eyes and they flashed amber. "Because he never stopped begging. Never stopped fighting. He never gave up. If I'd broken the boy, he would've stopped everything and I would've dusted him for being useless and weak."

Dawn chuckled bitterly, "Right. You know, he wouldn't even tell me he was hurt earlier. He broke his finger and hid it from me because of the **lessons** you used to give him. He told me about the sunlight and the holy water, Angel. God! I so wanted to kick you in the nuts, but he said it wasn't you that did it and hurting you wouldn't change what Angelus did." Angel tensed and turned slightly away from her, getting his nuts out of the line of fire. "I think he doesn't blame the Angel part of you so he doesn't go crazy. It's got to be hard seeing you and remembering all the things you did to him, so he tells himself that it wasn't you, it was Angelus. From everything he's told me and the things I've seen in my head since he got that fucking soul, he should have been crazier than Dru after putting up with your shit for all those years."

Angel flinched slightly then looked at her quizzically. "Seeing things in your head? What things?"

Dawn frowned and glanced back at Spike then shook her head slightly. "Um… earlier… I was seeing visions of people that Spike killed or hurt or whatever, but… I'm not seeing them now."

Duncan spoke up. "Maybe it's because he's unconscious. He's probably not seeing anything right now either."

Dawn nodded slowly. "Yeah… that could be it." She turned suddenly and walked into the bathroom, coming back out with a wet washcloth. She sat down next to Spike and started lightly sponging the blood off his face. "So, what now? We've got Council goons outside shooting at us… they're going to try to get in here at some point, I'm sure. What are we going to do about them?"

Willow stood and walked over to the cage. "I need to explain a few things and Spike needs to be awake to hear it. Can I wake him up?"

Dawn looked from Willow to Spike and back again. "Shit, Wils. He's actually resting right now and not freaking out. I really don't want him to be in pain anymore. Isn't there anything we can do to help him? With the memories and the guilt? He wants to die, Wils. I felt it when he fed from me earlier. If we let him loose, he'll try to dust himself."

Willow smiled enigmatically. "That's part of what I need to explain."

Angel stepped warily into the cage, watching Dawn carefully for any sudden movements. "Um… I might have an idea."

Dawn turned around and glared at him. "And what would that be? Another lesson? Something to teach him not to be unconscious? Not to be in pain or drowning in guilt? What are you going to do to him, **Angelus**?"

Angel grimaced and flinched back slightly at the venom dripping from her words. "I'm not going to hurt him, Dawn, I promise you that. I think that if he feeds from me, it might help. Sire's blood has been used for centuries as a way to calm Childer. I don't know how much it'll help with the guilt, but it won't hurt him."

Dawn frowned. "When was the last time you let him feed from you?"

"At your apartment after The Ranch."

Dawn snorted. "No, Angel, not the last time you gave him blood… the last time you let him **feed** from you. The last time you let him bite you and let your feelings through." Dawn's head tilted. "The feeling thing is a two way street, isn't it? Because you're both vampires, you can feel each other no matter who's doing the biting, right?"

Angel nodded. "Yes. Actually, it's how vampires of the same line bond with each other. It strengthens their ties and reaffirms their place in the family."

"And when was the last time you did that with Spike?"

Angel looked away guiltily. "Before I got the soul. I ran into him a few times after that, and I wanted to… but I couldn't. I don't deserve it. He was always the strongest of our family and I wanted to show him how sorry I was, but I couldn't let him see how weak I'd become."

Dawn huffed, "Uh-huh. So you feel bad about how you treated him, but you were too selfish to let him know that. And now he's suffering because of it. Because of **you**. Again." She pursed her lips like she'd tasted something foul. "That's real nice, Angelus. You're a dick." She turned back to Spike and continued wiping up the blood.

Angel stepped forward. "Look, I know I screwed up with Spike, but I can't change any of it no matter how much I wish I could. Just let me try to help him now."

Dawn turned around, her eyes flashing anger, and Willow held up her hand. "Hey! I'm sure you two could do this all day, but we've got bigger fish to fry. There's a bunch of idiots outside who are going to figure out a way past my ward eventually and we need to do something to help Spike. You two arguing with each other isn't going to help either of those things." She turned to Angel. "You **can** help him, but it's not going to be just you." She motioned Duncan over to the cage. "You both have to do it. The family bonding thing, just like you said. You have to bite Spike and take some of his pain into yourselves, then let him bite you and transfer some of your strength into him."

Dawn looked at Willow. "What do I do? I'm part of the family."

Willow smiled. "You're part of their family by Claim, not by Siring, so first you have to bond with your own family and then bond your family with theirs."

Dawn frowned. "My family? Well, we're screwed. I don't have a family. Not really. Even if you count my sort-of family, most of them are dead."

Willow shook her head. "I'm not talking about Hank and Buffy and Joyce. It has to be the people **you** consider to be your family. The people you're closest to and love the most."

Dawn's eyes went wide with understanding. "Well, if I don't count the undead side of my family, then it would be… you and Xander."


	93. Chapter 93  Warm In Here

Not Long to Wait

Ch 93 – Warm In Here

Willow nodded with a huge grin. "Yes, it's us."

Dawn smirked. "So you and Xan have to bite me? Great."

Willow laughed. "No, we have to slice our palms open then clasp our hands together. Like when kids in the movies swear to be blood brothers or something."

Dawn got to her feet. "All right. Let's do it. How fast can Xan get here? Can we hold off the idiots until then?" She started out of the cage then stopped suddenly. "Wait… there's not going to be any sex, is there? Spike told me that most vampire rituals involve sex and I am so not having sex with Angel or Duncan… again… or Xander… or you… no offense. Besides, I can't. It's a Mating thing."

Willow shook her head and winked at Dawn. "No, there's no sex… for us anyway." Two sets of eyes went impossibly wide as her words sank in, then Angel and Duncan looked at each other warily and started moving apart, only stopping when Willow suddenly burst into laughter.

Dawn barked laughter. "You two should see the looks on your faces! God, I wish Spike was awake to see this. That was too funny, Wils."

Willow stepped into the cage, weaving between Angel and Dawn, and sat down next to Spike. "Speaking of Spike being awake, it's time. I'm going to wake him up."

Dawn shook her head. "Can't we wait until Xander gets here? I want to let Spike rest as long as we can."

Willow shook her head. "I need to see what Spike's going through, Dawn. I need to see if my vision was right. I don't want to do anything to make him worse, and if my vision was sent to me by something that means him or the rest of us harm, then I need to know that."

Dawn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Ok. God, I wish Giles was here. I wish he could see what Spike's putting himself through so he can be '**good enough**' for the Council. Maybe then he wouldn't be so hot to kill us both."

Willow grinned and stood up. "I saw you saying that exact thing in my vision. So far, the whole somebody is trying to help us thing is looking good." She walked out of the cage and stopped in front of Trevor, who was sitting silently on the couch clutching his knife and stake and watching everything with wide eyes. He looked a tad shell-shocked and blinked slowly at her as she squatted down in front of him. "Hi. I'm Willow. You must be Trevor."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Hi, Willow."

She laid her hand gently on his knee. "Are you ok? You look a little wigged."

He shuddered then straightened up just a bit, squaring his shoulders. "Uh… I'm ok. Just, you know, a lot of weird stuff happening. I'm not really used to people just appearing out of nowhere in my kitchen and..." His eyes flicked to Angel as his voice dropped to a whisper. "And that's Angelus… THE Angelus. In my house. I invited THE Angelus into my house. And I'm not dead. Yet."

Willow glanced over her shoulder and noticed Dawn walking toward her. Dawn sat down next to Trevor and gently unclenched his hand from the stake, laying it on the floor in front of the couch. She murmured quietly as she gently unclenched his other hand and removed the knife. "Angel's like Spike and Duncan. He's not going to hurt you, so you don't have to be afraid of him. I mean, you saw me slap him, right? If he was gonna go all grrr, he probably would've done it then, don't you think?"

Trevor nodded, but didn't take his eyes off Angel who was walking slowly over to the couch. Trevor leaned back just a tiny bit when Angel held out his hand. "Hello. I'm Angel. Nice to meet you."

Dawn lifted up Trevor's hand and Angel clasped it. Trevor looked down at his hand then back up at Angel. He suddenly bolted to his feet and started shaking Angel's hand furiously. "Angelus, this is such an honor! I've always wanted to meet you… I mean… not as food… but… you know."

Angel chuckled and gently extricated his hand from Trevor's grasp. "Thanks, but just call me Angel. I don't go by Angelus anymore."

Trevor smacked his hand against his forehead. "Shit! Sorry! Spike told me that and I forgot. He said he's the only one that can get away with calling you that."

Angel chuckled again and clapped Trevor on the back. "No problem, and apparently he isn't the only one." He looked pointedly at Dawn and she shrugged with a small grin.

Willow smiled. "Ok, now that we've all been introduced and figured out that nobody is going to get eaten… Trevor, I need your help."

He looked at her quizzically, wondering what the most powerful witch in the world could possibly need his help with. "Uh… ok."

"I need to tie somebody up." She nodded at Spike. "I see you've got chains, but I don't need something that strong… do you have any rope or anything?"

Trevor nodded. "Yeah, I've got some out in the shop."

Willow shook her head. "No good. We're surrounded by armed idiots and the ward only covers the house. Do you have anything in here we could use? Zip ties… anything?"

Trevor furrowed his brow as he mentally cataloged the contents of his house. "Um… I've got some camping gear in one of the spare bedrooms. I think there might be some bungee cords or something in there."

Willow grinned. "Those will work. Can you go get them?"

He nodded and headed for the stairs. "I'll be right back."

Dawn tilted her head at Willow. "Who are we going to be tying up?"

Willow smiled that enigmatic smile again. "You'll see."

Trevor walked back into the basement carrying a handful of brightly colored bungee cords and held them up. "Is this enough? I have a few more."

Willow nodded. "Those should do. Can you stand near that corner over there? I'll need you to secure him as soon as he appears."

Trevor nodded slowly and moved into position, separating the longest cord from the jumbled mess in his hand and dropping the rest to the floor near his feet. Willow moved closer to the corner she'd indicated, waving at the others to stay back, then lifted her hand and pointed at the empty corner. "Accio Rupert Giles!"

There was a bright flash and the smell of burning paper wafted through the room as a thoroughly confused Watcher suddenly appeared on the floor in the corner, blinking up at the people staring at him in astonishment. Trevor darted forward and snagged an arm and a leg, flipping him roughly onto his belly. He planted a knee on his lower back to hold him down then quickly bound his wrists together with the bungee cord, looking like a world-champion calf roper. The only thing missing was the triumphant raising of his hands when the tie-off was complete. Instead, Trevor just got slowly back to his feet and moved over to stand behind Dawn then looked at Willow with a smirk. "Isn't that a spell from Harry Potter? That stuff really works?"

Willow laughed, "Yes, it is, and no, not really."

"But you said the same spell and that guy appeared."

Willow smiled. "It's not the word that has the power, Trevor. Um… magic is kind of funny sometimes. Some words do have power. **You** could say them and cast a spell, but you have to say them just right, with the right inflection and everything, or some really weird stuff can happen. Believe me, I know. But most magic draws on the power of the caster. It's based on the intent of the person doing the spell. The words I say just focus my intent."

"So, it's not the words, it's what you're trying to do that's important?"

"Yep."

"So you could use any word… like say… my name, as a focus word?"

Willow shook her head. "No. Names have power, but I'm strong enough that I don't even need to use words for focus; I just do because it's fun. Watch." She flicked her fingers at the television and it snapped on. She flicked them again and it turned off. "See?"

Trevor nodded with wide eyes. "That is… really cool."

Everyone's eyes were drawn back to the corner as Giles started sputtering and trying to maneuver himself into a sitting position. "What is the meaning of this? Untie me immediately! This is preposterous!"

Dawn moved forward and squatted down in front of him, shaking her head. "No… it really isn't. You had me killed, Giles. You're lucky you're still fucking breathing. Now… you're going to sit there and keep your yap shut. There's some things you need to see." Giles opened his mouth to protest and Dawn raised her hand. "Shut up. I'm not even close to kidding. You don't get to talk. Not after all this shit." Giles still looked like he was going to start talking and Dawn smirked. "If it's going to be too difficult, I could always gag you."

Giles shook his head and wisely kept silent. Dawn nodded and stood up, motioning Trevor over. "Tie his feet. Make sure he can't get loose." She looked around the basement and nodded toward the large canister of oxygen sitting next to the wall by the stairs. "Tie him to that. It should keep him from going anywhere."

Duncan walked over to the canister and moved it into the middle of the room so Giles would have an unobstructed view of the cage. "He'll be able to see everything from here."

Dawn smiled at him and said, "Good," then turned to Willow. "So, do you want to call Xan or should I?"

Willow smiled and nodded toward the corner as Trevor and Duncan stepped forward to lift Giles off the floor. "As soon as Giles is out of the way, I'll summon him."

Dawn smirked as she glanced at the clock on the dresser. "You're not going to give him a heads up or anything? You're just going to yank him out of bed and drop him on the basement floor?"

Willow nodded with a small giggle. "Yeah. Calling him would just make him nervous. I've summoned him before and he said it's easier when he doesn't know it's coming."

Dawn giggled as she looked over to the now empty of pissed off Watcher corner. "Here's hoping that he doesn't sleep in the raw."

Willow suppressed a giggle and put on a serious face as she concentrated on the corner. She raised a hand and pointed then shouted, "Accio Xander Harris!"

A bright flash of light dropped a sleeping Xander onto the floor. He startled awake with a yelp, bolting upright and smashing his head against the wall behind him. "Ow! What the hell!" He was indeed naked and his hands flew south to cover his bits as he scrambled to his feet, pressing himself against the wall. He looked frantically around the room; his addled still half asleep brain refusing to make sense of what he was seeing. There was a large cage in one corner that contained a chained and sleeping Spike and a large canister in the middle of the room that was the focus of some activity. A red-faced, obviously pissed off Giles was being bungeed to it by two large dark-haired men as Angel stood by, serenely watching. Xander's eyes finally fell on Dawn and Willow who were standing in front of him, blushing and looking intently at the wall above his head. "Wils? Dawnster? What the hell? Where am I?"

Dawn stepped quickly over to the couch and snagged the small blanket off the back then stepped up to Xander, keeping her eyes focused on his. She thrust the blanket at him. "Here." Xander took the blanket and wrapped it quickly around his waist. "Um… you're at Trevor's… Willow gave Spike his soul and he's been freaking out and we need you for a family bonding thing. I was killed again because Giles and the Council goons have the house surrounded and they're trying to kill me and Spike."

Xander held up his hands. "Woah, Dawnie. Slow down. I'm not completely awake yet… need caffeine and lots of it before that'll happen… and… oh yeah… you're not making any sense." He looked over her shoulder at Spike. "Why is Spike chained up? He has his soul? Did Wils use the curse? Is he going to lose it and go all grrr bitey murdery as soon as you give him another happy? Oh God! That's why he's chained up! He lost his soul and went serial killer!" His eyes flicked to Giles then got wide. "He turned Giles! That's why you're tying him up!"

Now it was Dawn's turn to hold up her hands. "Xander! Chill! Spike's soul is still there and he's not all murdery, but even if he did lose his soul, he'd still be Spike." Her eyes cut to Angel then over to Giles. "Spike doesn't go all serial killer without his soul like some people… well… lately. He's been a vamp of the non-serial killer variety for a while now… even without the soul." Her eyes drilled into Giles. "Or the chip."

Willow clapped her hands together loudly, startling everyone in the room. "Ok! Everybody just needs to calm down!"

Angel walked over to her with a smirk and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Everybody is calm, babe… except for Xander… and maybe Giles."

Dawn chuckled and took Xander's arm, leading him toward the stairs. "Duncan? Trevor? Does one of you have something that might fit him?"

Trevor straightened up and looked over at Xander then shook his head. "My stuff would all be too big. Looks like I've got about thirty to forty pounds on him." He chuckled as he patted his belly. "Been working at the bar too long. Unlimited beer and bar food does not a flat stomach make."

Xander nodded at him with a grin. "I'd be the same way, but I spend most of my time repairing the house I live in and training with a bunch of super strong girls. The Twinkies don't stand a chance."

Duncan finished tying off the last bungee cord and got to his feet then looked over at Xander standing at the foot of the stairs, clutching the fuzzy blanket that was wrapped precariously around his hips. Xander gasped as his eyes made contact with Duncan's and his mind went a little bit blank, only one thought circling. *_Wow._ _Hot_.* He blinked hard, jerking slightly, then shuffled his feet nervously as Duncan's eyes traveled slowly over him from head to toe. His grip on the blanket tightened a little as he bunched it up in the front and muttered under his breath. "Did it just get really warm in here or what?"


	94. Chapter 94  Decoder Ring

Not Long to Wait

Ch 94 – Decoder Ring

Dawn glanced at Xander then smirked to herself as Duncan walked over. "Duncan, this is Xander Harris. Xan, this is Duncan. He's Spike's brother."

Xander leaned over and looked around Duncan at Spike then straightened up and peered closely at Duncan. Xander's brain was still not quite awake, and being that most of the blood that should be powering it was moving in a mostly southward direction, he was having a difficult time figuring this out. "Who what now? Spike's brother? Spike has a brother? How is that possible? Spike's older than dirt! How can he still have a living brother?"

Dawn giggled. "Well… he can't. Duncan's not alive… you know… mostly… he's… like Spike."

Xander peered around Duncan again, the gears in his brain slowly turning. "Oh! Brother!" He straightened up and pointed at Duncan in victory. "You're a vampire!"

Duncan nodded with an amused chuckle. "Yeah."

Xander looked over at Willow. "One snarky, British vampire isn't enough, now we have two? Isn't that one of the signs of the apocalypse? Well, maybe not THE apocalypse… but the NEXT apocalypse? I'm sure having a duplicate Spike means something apocalypty."

Xander shivered as Duncan's deep rumbling voice rolled through the room. "I'm not British, I'm Scottish, so we should all be safe. Nice to meet you."

Dawn smacked Xander's arm. "And he's not snarky. He's nice. So you be nice."

Xander looked up at Duncan… way up. "Uh… yeah. I'll do that. You look like you could crumple me like a paper cup."

Duncan smiled and Xander suddenly forgot how to breathe. "I've got some sweats that might work. They're gonna be a little too long, but they should do. They're in my room if you want to come get them." He started for the stairs and Xander's eyes drifted shut as Duncan passed him. Xander's lungs kicked back into gear as he breathed in Duncan's scent and shivered again. He nodded slowly as he opened his eyes and turned to follow him up the stairs.

Willow waited until she heard Xander and Duncan step through the door at the top of the stairs then she rushed over to Dawn wearing a very happy 'squeee!' face. "Did you see that?"

Dawn nodded and giggled, wearing a similar 'squeee!' face. "Yeah, I did. Did you see all the blushing and shivering? It was so completely adorable!"

Willow did squeee! right before she babbled hurriedly, "Did you feel the electricity in the air when they looked at each other? It was like I was standing next to a Jacob's ladder!" She reached up and patted her hair. "I swear my hair started to stand up!"

Angel and Trevor shared a confused glance then Angel said, "What are you two talking about?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Men are so clueless. Xander likes Duncan. Duh."

Trevor shrugged. "So do I. So what? You didn't get all giggly when I met Duncan, but maybe it's because you were the only girl and I don't really see Spike as the giggly type."

Dawn rolled her eyes again. "**LIKES** **HIM** likes him, Trevor."

Willow chimed in with a giggle of her own. "Likes… as in wants to do naked naughty things with him."

Comprehension dawned on their faces then Angel sputtered, "Xander's gay? Since when?"

Willow sighed dramatically, "Since forever. He's just never done anything about it because he had a crush on someone he couldn't have and he wasn't sure if it was just that person or the whole gender. And… with his father being the way he was… well… coming out would not have been of the good."

Giles cleared his throat and started to speak, but before he could even get a word out Dawn leaned around Angel and glared at him. "Sorry, Giles, but we're still not listening to anything from the double-crossing asshat section, so shut it." She straightened up and smiled at Willow. "Well, it looks like Xander finally figured it out. It would be so cool if Duncan and Xander got together!"

Trevor looked at Dawn. "Is Duncan even gay? I mean, he did the mating ritual with you…"

Angel chuckled, "He's a vampire, Trevor. We're not all that picky about the gender… or species… of our partner."

Dawn smiled. "And Xander always was a demon magnet."

Trevor looked confused. "Demon magnet? What does that mean?"

Willow giggled, "Almost every person Xander has ever been interested in has been a demon, part demon, or ex-demon… well… except for Cordelia… and I'm not entirely sure that she didn't have some demon in her woodpile somewhere. I think it's the hyena in him."

Trevor's eyes got wide and he stammered, "Hyena?"

Willow nodded. "It's ok, Trevor. When he was in high school he was possessed by a primal hyena for a little while, but he doesn't change into one or anything… it's not like Oz being a werewolf, Xander just has a little leftover hyena bubbling around. It doesn't really affect him and he told me that he doesn't even notice it most of the time."

Trevor closed his eyes and rubbed his fingers on his forehead then took a step forward as he opened his eyes and muttered, "I need to call my uncle. I'll be back." He took the stairs two at a time as he pulled his phone from his pocket and started punching numbers.

XX

XXXX

XX

Xander glanced up as he followed the vampire around the corner of the staircase and his eyes widened and shifted away… then slowly shifted back. He watched Duncan's backside in a daze as he made his way slowly up the stairs, frowning in disappointment when Duncan stepped through the door at the top and was lost from view. Xander shook his head, trying to clear it… or make his brain kick on… something… anything. *_I was not checking out his ass… I wasn't! I was just… uh… following him… yeah… and besides, it's not like there's anything else to look at...* _He resolutely ignored the nature paintings marching up the walls on both sides of the staircase. *_Nothing to look at... Uh-uh.* _He shook his head slightly and muttered low to himself, "Even I don't believe me," then stepped through the door at the top of the stairs and walked directly into Duncan's back. "Ooof!"

Duncan reached back and wrapped his arm around Xander just as he bounced off, steadying him and holding him still. "Shhh. There's someone outside."

Xander peered around Duncan into the dark room then leaned up to whisper in Duncan's ear. "Outside where?"

Duncan nodded toward the far side of the room at the large window next to the fireplace. "That window. I can hear a heartbeat."

"The Council goons, right? What do they want?"

Duncan shrugged. "Probably to shoot one of us. They've already shot Dawn and Angel." Duncan tightened his grip on Xander and stepped sideways, secreting them deeper into the shadows under the stairs. "Stay behind me. I can take a bullet… you can't."

Xander nodded and pressed himself closer to Duncan's back… well… his top half anyway. His bottom half was still… well… let's just say that pressing it up against Duncan would probably send the wrong idea… or maybe the right one… at the very least, it would be impolite. *_And that's Alexander Lavelle Harris… all about the politeness.*_

The soft, cable-knit sweater Duncan was wearing felt nice against Xander's chest as he breathed deeply, inhaling Duncan's scent again. *_God, he smells good! Do all vampires smell this good? Spike and Deadboy always smell good… but… hey… I don't go around sniffing the undead… I don't! I just… you know… notice things. Yeah… that's it. I'm a noticer. Hey! It's like science! I'm testing a theory… Spike, Angel, and Duncan smell good… therefore… all vampires smell good. Theory proved! Wils would be proud of my mad science skills. You know, better late than never.* _He was startled out of his denial mind babbling when Duncan chuckled low in his chest. Xander shivered again as the vibrations transferred to him and settled low in his belly. He swallowed hard then whispered, "What's funny?"

Duncan whispered back, "Dawn and Willow. They're squealing because you **like me** like me."

Xander's whole body tensed and he leaned over slightly, glancing down at himself and checking to see that the blanket was still a polite distance away from Duncan's backside. It was, so he started to sputter something along the lines of "No… I don't **like you** like you… what gave you that idea…"

Duncan chuckled again, "It's ok, Xander. I can smell it, you know. You're putting off some serious pheromones." Xander blushed furiously from head to toe and Duncan chuckled yet again as the heat seeped into him. "You don't have to be embarrassed… I don't mind. It's… flattering." Xander's eyes went wide just as Duncan tensed and glanced back at the doorway. "Trevor's on his way up."

Xander followed his gaze then yelped when Duncan suddenly lunged for the doorway then stepped quickly back into the shadows with Trevor wrapped in his other arm. Trevor scrabbled to keep hold of his phone as he was mashed up against Xander. "What the hell, Duncan?"

Xander clutched his blanket a little tighter and pressed himself back against the wall. Duncan's upper body followed him and tugged Trevor a little closer to Xander so that they were both concealed behind Duncan's broad torso. Xander whispered, "So… I'm Xander. You're Trevor?"

Trevor nodded, his face only inches away from Xander's. "Yeah. Um… Is there a reason we're crammed into the corner under the stairs? I mean, I'm a friendly guy, but this is a little more **friendly** than I usually get with my friends… or people who have been poofed naked into my basement."

Duncan whispered, "One of the goons is outside. He just peeked in here."

"Oh. Well, Willow's ward should keep them out, shouldn't it?"

Duncan nodded. "Yeah, but she wasn't sure about bullets, so I'm keeping you two hidden until they leave."

Xander whispered, "He can take a bullet. We can't. You are human, right?"

Trevor nodded. "Yeah, as far as I know." He leaned his head against the wall. "So… hyena?"

Xander nodded in surprise. "How do you know about that?"

Duncan's chuckle vibrated through Xander again, making him clutch the blanket tighter… any tighter and he was going to punch his fingers right through the fabric. "Dawn and Willow were talking about how you were possessed and how you're a demon magnet."

Xander groaned, "Yeah, that's me… demons all go for the Xan-man. Apparently I'm a nummy treat."

Duncan suddenly stepped forward, releasing Xander and Trevor. "He's gone. Moved around the side of the house in a hurry. Let's go… and be quick. There's more… and they're moving."

Trevor moved quickly out from under the stairs and bolted up to the second floor then ducked into his room, shutting the door tightly behind him. Duncan walked quickly up the stairs, his senses tuned to the activity outside the house as he glanced back over his shoulder to keep an eye on Xander. Xander's eyes, however, were pretty firmly glued to the delectable denim clad backside directly in front of him and he shivered again. *_Oh yeah_… _I'm_ _gay. Hand me the membership card and the secret decoder ring. It's official.*_


	95. Chapter 95  When One Exists

Not Long to Wait

Ch 95 – When One Exists

Dawn and Willow watched as Trevor disappeared quickly around the corner then exchanged a confused glance. They both turned to look at Angel and he shrugged. "Don't look at me. I just met the guy."

Giles cleared his throat again but didn't speak until Dawn looked at him. "What, Giles?"

"Could I trouble you for a drink of water?"

Dawn nodded. "Sure. Hold on." She walked into the bathroom and came out with a small paper cup then knelt down in front of Giles. "Here." She tipped the water into his mouth then sat back on her feet. "So… the Council decided to just kill me? Because I'm with Spike? They do get the whole 'immortal' thing, right? And just because I don't stay dead doesn't mean that getting my head blown off doesn't hurt like a bitch, not to mention that it really freaks Spike out, so I'd appreciate it if they'd stop killing me."

Giles shook his head as he swallowed the water down. "You weren't supposed to die. It wasn't supposed to be a mortal wound. That was a mistake. Apparently, the man who shot you was aiming for your shoulder and you moved at the last second."

Dawn growled, "So he was shooting at me because…."

Giles looked down at his lap. "The plan was to immobilize everyone so that you and Spike could be secured and transported back to Council headquarters."

"So you were just going to shoot us all?" At a nod from Giles, Dawn exploded. "Trevor's human! You could have killed him! Fuck, Giles! Have you completely lost your fucking mind?"

Giles tried to flinch back from her, but the canister prevented him from moving very far. "It was… uh… decided that Duncan and… uh… Trevor was it? Were… um… expendable."

Dawn's hand curled into a fist and her arm twitched forward, aching to punch. "And who… exactly… made this decision? Is the entire Council behind this? Because I seriously doubt it. Trevor's uncle is on the Council and I don't think he'd give the go ahead to have his nephew murdered." Dawn dropped her fist as the Watcher's eyes got huge. She pulled in a deep breath as all the pieces of the Giles puzzle suddenly snapped neatly into place. "You've gone rogue, haven't you? And you didn't care who you were condemning to death… all you wanted was Spike's dust and it didn't matter who got in your way."

Angel growled from his position behind Dawn. "That's why no one at the Council knew what I was talking about when I called them about wanting Spike dusted. They assured me that as long as Spike wasn't feeding and was helping Dawn that they had no problem with their relationship or with him being un-chipped. In fact, the man I spoke to told me that the Council was happy that a vampire as powerful as William the Bloody was on their side and it was good that he wasn't leashed anymore."

Willow stepped up next to Dawn, her eyes flashing anger. "And all that stuff you told me about '_the Council made the decision_' and '_I've been sanctioned_' was crap, wasn't it? You've been doing all this on your own, haven't you? You were just making excuses and trying to blame the Council when it's really just you that wants Spike dead."

The Watcher's face screwed up into a mask of revulsion and anger. "Yes. I want him gone. I want him ended. More than I've ever wanted anything in my entire life. The Council is deluding themselves into thinking that that '_abomination' _can ever be anything but a bloodthirsty monster. William the Bloody, Slayer of Slayers, has the deaths of four slayers to his name and I won't allow him to add another. I tried to convince them. I tried to explain how powerful he would become after Claiming a Slayer, but they refused to see reason… so I took it upon myself to remedy the situation."

Dawn's brow furrowed in confusion. "Four slayers? But he's only killed two. China and New York."

Giles spat, "Buffy and Faith are both on his head. He's responsible."

Dawn sputtered, "Buffy? How in the hell is Spike responsible for Buffy's death? He wasn't even in Sunnydale when she died!"

Giles shouted, "That's exactly why he's responsible! If he had stayed in Sunnydale **he** could have worn the amulet and Buffy would have been spared, therefore her death is his fault. And I don't even have to explain why Faith's blood is on his hands. She wouldn't have died if it weren't for that vampire. And he will kill you, Dawn. If you persist in this _relationship_, you **will** die at his hand."

Dawn looked at him with wide eyes then shook her head sadly. "You've lost your shit, Giles. Completely lost it. I'M IMMORTAL, YOU DUMBASS!"

Willow knelt down beside Dawn, her eyes trained on the Watcher as she whispered, "_Ut unus futurus ceterus can non exsisto exstinguo._" She smiled slightly when she saw that Giles was working out the translation in his head.

Angel placed his hand gently on Willow's shoulder. "That's what you were shouting during your vision."

Willow nodded. "The translation is: _When one exists, the other cannot be extinguished. _Dawn is immortal and now so is Spike, even more than usual. We could stake him right now and he wouldn't dust because Dawn's soul is bonded to his and would keep him alive… ish."

Giles sighed loudly and closed his eyes. "So Spike is indestructible."

Willow shook her head. "No, he's not. He can still be injured, he just won't dust."

Giles glared at Willow. "So by restoring his soul, **you** made him un-killable. You do realize that anything he does will be on your head, Willow. Any lives he takes will be entirely your fault. You have unleashed a monster upon the world; I hope you're proud of yourself. You haven't learned anything, have you? You're still a rank, arrogant amateur."

Willow glared right back. "I am not! And it's not my fault, it's yours! Spike didn't care about getting his soul until you accused him of siring someone. If you hadn't been such a… a…"

Dawn supplied, "Asshole? Dickhead? Prick?"

Willow nodded. "Yeah, one of those. If you'd just trusted him, then he'd still be soulless. And when Dawn died again, he would've died too, so you can't blame me for anything Spike does, Giles. It's all on you."

Dawn got to her feet and turned away. "Not that Spike's going to do anything anyway. He's changed, Giles, and you just refuse to see it, so stick a fork in me… I'm done." She laid her hand on Angel's arm and nodded back over her shoulder. "Move him somewhere else, please. Just get him out of my sight and away from Spike. I don't want us to have anything else to do with him… ever again."

Angel nodded and leaned down to start unfastening Giles from the canister. "I'll take him upstairs. There's got to be a closet or something we can stash him in. Um… what are we going to do with him… later?"

Dawn shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe call the Council and see if they want him back. They probably don't even know what's going on out here."

Willow pulled out her phone and started dialing. "Hi, it's Willow. Um… I need to talk to you about Giles."

"Um… yes, I know where he is, do you know what he's been doing?"

"Yes, the house they're surrounding is Trevor's, and they've already killed Dawn and shot Angel."

"No, she's fine. She came back. Angel's fine, too."

"Spike? No, he's fine… sort of… I gave him his soul and he's in kind of a… vampire coma… I guess."

"No, I didn't force it on him, he wanted it. He asked me to do it."

"No, we've got a way to help him and we're going to do it soon. Thanks for the offer, though. What do you want us to do with Giles?"

There was a long pause as Willow listened intently to whoever was on the other end of the call. "All right. We can do that, and yes, I'll call later to give you an update on Spike. Thanks." She disconnected the call and looked at Giles. "That was the Head of the Council. The commando guys called him when you disappeared and I think it's pretty safe to say that they're not very happy with you. Apparently, taking the Council's jet and their commando guys without clearing it with them first has made them a tad cranky. Oh… and killing the Slayer and trying to kill Spike has made them just a little bit crankier. So yeah… they're cranky." Giles looked away and Willow frowned. "They want us to give you back to the commando guys. They're going to take you back to the Council and then you're in some serious trouble, mister. Oh… and almost killing several of the Council's witches by making them do a locator spell for a vampire didn't help."

Dawn gasped as she spun around. "That's how you found us? What did you use?"

Giles looked up at her, his features still angry and starting to be a little bit frightened. "Spike's lighter. Buffy kept it after he left and gave it to me before she died."

Dawn turned away from Giles again and looked at Willow. "I want that lighter. Can you get it?"

Willow nodded and held her hand out. Her eyes flashed black and there was a bright flash of light then Spike's lighter was sitting on her palm. "Here."

"Thanks." Dawn took the lighter and looked it over then flipped it open and flicked it. She smiled at the flame then flipped it shut and reached down to stuff it into her jeans pocket, freezing when she suddenly realized that she was wearing nothing but Spike's robe. Her face deepened into a blush and she stammered, "God, you guys! Why didn't anyone tell me I was wearing this?"

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"No, sir, I was told that this operation had your full support."

"Yes, sir, I copy. We'll be in the air in less than an hour."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Giles will be alive when I deliver him to you."

"No, sir, I can't promise that he'll be healthy… but he'll be breathing. That's all I can guarantee at this time being that I don't know his current condition."

"Yes, sir, I understand. The Slayer, her friends, and her vampires are not to be harmed. Wilson out."

Commander Wilson turned around, his thunderous gaze raking over the confused faces of three of his men. He thumbed his com unit and growled, "Everyone report back to the boat, immediately. Double-time. Move." He lowered his hand from his throat and pointed at Myers. "Myers, get to the kitchen door. They're going to deliver Mr. Giles to you. Leave your weapons and take Collins. Collect Giles and double-time back to the boat. We've been ordered home."

Myers and Collins handed their weapons off then spun and started sprinting toward the house. Jensen slung their rifles over his shoulder and asked quietly, "What's going to happen to Mr. Giles?"

Commander Wilson's eyes were hard and unforgiving as they settled on the young man. "Well, considering that he almost brought about the end of the world by trying to dust William the Bloody… I doubt it's going to be pleasant." He reached out and patted Jensen's shoulder. "Best you don't think about it."


	96. Chapter 96  It's Time

Not Long to Wait

Ch 96 – It's Time

Willow shrugged as she gripped Dawn's arm and tugged her toward the cage. "The robe is fine, Dawnie. Everything's covered… and hey… comfy. Now, getting back to Xander and Duncan…" She smiled widely as they stepped through the cage door. "My vision showed them together, so Xander being all shivery and blushy pretty much clinches the whole someone is trying to help us thing. "

Dawn giggled, "You mean **together** together? Or hanging out and eating pizza while they watch football together."

Willow smirked. "**Together **together. Like you and Spike and me and Angel. Mated."

Dawn looked up at Willow in confusion. "But if Duncan does the ritual for you and Angel, then who's gonna to do it for him and Xander? There won't be any more unmated vampires left in the family, and I doubt any of our vamps are gonna want to turn someone just for that."

Angel cleared his throat as he hefted a groaning Giles up over his shoulder. "The mating rules are different for same sex partners. Xander will be Duncan's Consort instead of his Mate. Duncan can claim a Consort without consulting his family, but if he wants Xander to be accepted into the family, then Spike or I would just have to bite Xander and say that we accept him. It's simple."

Dawn grinned at Angel. "So… no sex?"

Angel shook his head and grinned back. "No sex… except between Xander and Duncan. Xander will _technically _ be Duncan's Mate, he's just called something different and there's no ritual. It's hard to explain… vampire rules are complex."

Willow nodded, wearing that enigmatic smile again. "They are, but they can be broken… or maybe just bent a little… you or Spike won't have to accept Xan if Duncan Claims him, and you and I won't need Duncan to do the ritual for us."

Angel stopped and turned to face Willow wearing a crestfallen expression. "We won't? You don't want to be mated to me anymore?"

Willow walked over to him and, avoiding the legs of the Watcher dangling in front of his chest, pushed up on her tiptoes to give him a gentle kiss. "Yes, Angel, I do, but we can be mated without the ritual. My vision showed me. The family bonding thing… it bonds everything… all the way."

Dawn laughed, "So we'll all be Mated. The only three souled vampires in the world… from the same family line, no less… mated to a witch, the key, and hyena boy… who are probably the weirdest family on the planet. There's got to be some old, dusty prophecy about all this. It's too weird for there not to be."

Trevor startled them all when he said from the stairs, "There is a prophecy about this… and I don't think you're going to like it."

Dawn groaned, "You'd think I'd have learned by now… living on a Hellmouth and everything… to not say shit like '_there's got to be a prophecy_' or '_it can't get any worse_'." She smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. "I'm an idiot." She looked up at Trevor. "So, what's the bad news? Apocalypse? Flying monkeys? Another Hell God?"

"I don't know about the flying monkeys or the Hell God, but apocalypse?… yeah."

Dawn sighed and dropped onto the bed near Spike's feet. "Great. Where?"

Trevor shook his head. "I don't know. My uncle has been translating the prophecy, but most of the stuff he has so far is about pyramids and castles, which doesn't make any sense because pyramids and castles aren't usually anywhere near each…"

Willow gasped, "Vegas!" She turned to Dawn. "It's the prophecy about the Hellmouth in Vegas! The pyramid and the castle… just like Drusilla said!" She turned back to Trevor. "Do you have a copy of the prophecy? What else did it say?"

Trevor backed up a step and stammered, "No, I don't have a copy… my uncle has it… um… there's a passage about a tree and a cursed Gael… another one about a dark orphan and a hyena… and one about a poet with a key. From what my uncle's translated so far, all these people or things or whatever have to come together to stop what will '_rise from beneath the pyramid,_' and there's a part about tunnels under a castle… or something. It's not very clear, but my uncle said that the Head of the Council was very… well… excited was the word he used… about it."

Willow's face was very pale when she said, "Yeah it is… Clear, I mean… at least to me. I just talked to the Head of the Council a little while ago and now I know why he was so worried about Spike." She moved on shaky legs and dropped down on the bed next to Dawn. "It's time, Dawnie. We need to wake Spike up and fix him. I know what my vision means now and we've got a lot to do."

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Duncan stepped into his room and walked over to his bag then started digging through it, pulling out a pair of black sweat pants and a t-shirt. He turned around and held them out, looking into Xander's eyes. "Here. These should fit… sort of."

Their hands brushed against each other as Xander took the clothes and they both froze as what seemed to be a surge of electricity passed between them. Xander's eyes widened as he whispered, "Did you feel that?"

Duncan nodded. "Yeah… what was that?"

Xander was lost in Duncan's deep green eyes and didn't answer until Duncan cleared his throat. Xander shook his head and muttered, "Oh… don't know… but… weird huh?"

Xander backed up a few steps and dropped the pants onto the bed then slid his arms into the t-shirt and tugged it over his head. As he was pulling it down, his poor abused blanket gave up its tenuous hold on his hips and dropped to the floor. Xander yelped and spun around, snatching the pants off the bed and lifting a foot to cram it into the garment, but he overbalanced and tipped forward, crashing to the floor in an undignified heap with his feet tangled in the sweat pants and the discarded blanket. "Ow." He turned over and sat up; rubbing a fresh sore spot on his forehead, then smirked up at Duncan who was standing there trying very hard not to laugh. Xander tried to look indignant. "It's not funny… and I'm not laughing…" Duncan snorted slightly and Xander gave up the charade and chuckled, "Oh… go ahead and let it out before you explode or something. It was funny."

Duncan reached down and helped Xander back to his feet as he laughed loudly, "Sorry… but yeah… it was funny." When Xander's eyes lifted up and met Duncan's, another surge of electricity passed between them, stronger this time. Duncan's eyes flashed amber as he snarled and suddenly pushed Xander back against the wall, pressing himself flush against the smaller man.

Duncan lowered his head to Xander's neck and Xander squeaked as his alarm bells started clamoring, '_Whoop! Whoop! Vampire at my neck! Whoop! Whoop!_' When Duncan nibbled lightly then swiped his tongue across Xander's pulse point, the alarm bells suddenly switched off and Xander moaned loudly. He reached up and threaded his fingers into Duncan's thick, dark hair and pulled him closer, shuddering at the low growl that rumbled through Duncan's chest. Xander's eyes flashed green and he voiced an answering growl as he tilted his head to the side, fully exposing his throat to the vampire. Duncan's fangs dropped and brushed lightly against Xander's neck then slid into his skin like a hot knife through butter.

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Angel stepped into the dark kitchen with the Watcher slung over his shoulder. "Angel… Good Lord, let's be reasonable. I can help you. If you provide me with a copy of the prophecy, I can help translate it."

Angel shook his head as he set Giles on his feet in front of the kitchen door. "We've got it covered, Willow can handle it."

Giles looked up at Angel with pleading eyes. "Angel… please. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but we do have something in common… we both loved Buffy."

Angel glowered, "So? Buffy's dead."

Giles sighed as his shoulders slumped in defeat. "You have no idea what they're going to do to me. It's inhuman." He looked up at Angel with a hopeful expression. "You can't just turn me over to them… your soul won't allow it."

Angel backed up a step and looked down at Giles with disdain. "Whatever they do to you is going to be nothing compared to what I had planned… and you have no idea what my soul will 'allow'… especially when it concerns my family. Spike may be an annoying bleached pain in the ass, but he's family, and so are Dawn and Duncan. And when Spike wakes up and finds out that you had Dawn killed… well… he was an apt pupil when it came to torture and I don't think the soul will make a bit of difference where Dawn's concerned. I think going back to the Council is probably your safest choice."

Giles opened his mouth and Angel clapped his hand over it before any sound could escape then spun him to face the door. He nodded to the two commandos standing in front of the shop wall just outside the ward boundary. "Here he is." Myers and Collins both nodded and Angel shoved Giles through the door. The ward flashed red as he passed through it and crashed heavily to the ground on the other side.

Myers and Collins reached down and roughly hoisted Giles back to his feet then Myers looked at Angel. "Thank you, sir. We'll be going now and there won't be any more attacks. You and your lot have nothing to fear from the Council any longer and I was instructed to inform you that should you need assistance of any kind, please don't hesitate to call."

Angel nodded and turned away from the door as they started to drag Giles away, his pleading and begging falling on deaf ears until there was a loud thump and it stopped altogether.

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"Ok, Wils. Guess now's a good a time as any. Let's wake him up." Dawn crawled up onto the bed next to Spike and sat cross-legged, being careful not to touch him.

Trevor moved nervously to the door of the cage and asked quietly, "Do you need me to do anything?"

Willow shook her head as she sat down on Spike's other side. "Not right now, but if you could, just stay close in case something happens." Trevor nodded and positioned himself a few steps from the cage door.

Willow gently laid her hands on Spike's head then lowered her forehead to his, chanting low under her breath. Dawn was getting lost in the rhythm of the words and her eyes were starting to droop when Spike suddenly jerked, rattling the chain loudly against the cage. His eyes snapped open as Willow released him and got to her feet, quickly backing away from the bed. She reached behind her to grasp the bars of the cage, her face white and her eyes wide. "I saw."

Dawn looked over at her, blinking quickly as she tried to clear the cobwebs from her brain. "Saw what?"

Willow shuddered and grasped the bars tighter in her fists. "I saw what he did. Not all of it, thank the Goddess, just a few flashes, but enough."

Dawn nodded as the gruesome images started once again parading across her brain. She grimaced slightly and raised a hand to her forehead. "It's bad, I know. I'm seeing it again." She tried on a weak smile. "But hey, upside… I'll never, ever, ever, be squicked by blood and guts ever again. Not that I really was… but still. I should get a button or a t-shirt or something that says: _I've been desensitized to violence and gore… ask me how._" She looked down at Spike, itching to touch him, but afraid to at the same time. *_What if I can never touch him again?*_ He'd started breathing… shallow, barely there breaths as he lay silently staring at the roof of the cage with blank, expressionless eyes.

Willow took a shaky breath and let go of the bars. "Ok, Dawn. You need to touch him. I need to see what happens."

Angel stepped off the stairs and took in the scene unfolding in the cage. "Uh… do you want me to leave? I don't want to upset him by being where he can see me."

Dawn shook her head. "No, you need to stay. You need to see this, too. Besides, it won't matter if you're here or not, he'll see you anyway."

Angel nodded slowly and moved closer to the cage, reaching through the bars to grasp Willow's hand. Dawn took a deep breath and slowly reached out, laying her hand lightly on Spike's stomach. He immediately started screaming in agony, twisting and thrashing and pulling at his bonds. Suddenly he stilled, panting harshly as he nodded. "Yes, Sire. I promise I won't do it again. Nothing is mine… Not even Drusilla… I understand… Please… no more."

Dawn jerked her hand back and fixed Angel with a venomous glare as Spike's eyes went blank. "And what the fuck was that about?"

Angel ducked his head and leaned his forehead on the bars of the cage. "It was a lesson."

Dawn squinted against the images being downloaded into her brain and spat, "No shit, Captain Obvious. And I say again… What the fuck was that about? What did he do that was so bad you had to torture him?"

Angel muttered, "He had sex with Drusilla without my permission."

Dawn's eyes went insanely wide and it was all she could do to stop herself from launching off the bed and popping his head like a zit. "Excuse me? You tortured him because he had sex with the woman he loved? What did you do to him?"

Angel's face was turning a distinctly unflattering shade of green as he mumbled, "Poured holy water on him… his… uh… genitals."

Now everybody's faces were a distinctly unflattering shade of green. Trevor turned slightly away, cupping himself protectively as Willow breathed out, "Oh Goddess," and pulled her hand out of Angel's as she turned to face him. "You… Goddess, Angel… why?"

Angel closed his eyes. "Because the demon loved hurting him… I loved hurting him. I'd use any excuse to punish him… and sometimes I punished him for no reason." He opened his eyes and fixed Willow with a pleading gaze. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I wish I could take it back… fix it somehow… but I can't." He closed his eyes again and turned away from the cage, stopping when Willow reached through the bars and laid her hand on his arm.

"Don't go, Angel. You need to help him now. It's time."


	97. Chapter 97  Feed, Childe

Not Long to Wait

Ch 97 – Feed, Childe

Duncan, his face twisted up in horror, jumped to his feet and backed across the room until he collided with the dresser. He grasped the edge tightly in his hands as he stared at a thoroughly debauched Xander lying face down on the bed in a post-orgasmic haze. Duncan reached down and roughly jerked his jeans up, fastening them as he stammered, "I'm sorry… I don't know what happened… I've never done anything like that… God, I'm so sorry."

Xander blinked sleepily and raised a hand, waving it weakly in the air. "Don't worry about it… I'm good." His hand fell back to the bed with a thump. "I've never done anything like that either… but… wow."

Duncan took a few steps sideways, putting some more distance between them. "You're not angry?"

Xander lifted his head and turned it slowly to his other side then dropped it back to the bed as he smiled up at Duncan. "No… I'm not angry." He slid his hand up the bed and pointed at his face. "This is a happy Xan-man face."

Duncan gaped at him in disbelief. "But… I attacked you… I bit you…" His voice trailed off and he buried his face in his hands with a strangled whisper, "I raped you." He slid his fingers into his hair and gripped it tightly in his fists. "My demon… I couldn't control it… it took… Xander… I'm sorry."

Xander rolled slowly over to the edge of the bed and reached down to snag the forgotten sweats off the floor then sat up carefully and slid his feet into them, pulling them up as he stood up next to the bed. He walked slowly over to the distraught vampire and reached up to gently work his fingers loose from his hair. "You didn't rape me, Duncan. Did you hear me complaining? At all? Did I say 'no' or 'stop' even once?"

Duncan shook his head miserably. "No… but I'm stronger… the demon… I forced you."

Xander shook his head. "No, you didn't. I wanted it, Duncan, and the hyena wanted it. Besides, me yelling 'more' and 'harder' should've been a clue that I was enjoying it, don't you think?"

Duncan dropped his hands and blinked at Xander. "You're sure it wasn't just that strange electricity thing?"

Xander smirked. "You told me downstairs that you could smell it on me, and that was before the electric weirdness, so yeah, I wanted it, I wanted you. Didn't expect to go from 'Hi, I'm Xander' to being face down on your bed quite that fast… I mean, hey, I just figured out that I actually am gay on my way up the stairs… or maybe bi, 'cause I still kind of like boobies… but anyway, I thought I'd get to know you a little, you know, maybe go out for a beer or something before I put my patented Harris-the-demon-magnet moves on you, but I don't regret anything. You were good, Duncan, really good… just maybe next time we could use some lube… especially considering the size of that tree trunk you've got in your pants."

Duncan whispered, "Next time?" then his eyes widened in horror again as he tried to pull away. "I hurt you!"

Xander gripped Duncan's arms tightly. "Duncan! Calm down! I'm fine. Sitting is going to be an interesting proposition for a couple of days, but I'll live. Yeah, it hurt at first, but it got better, okay? I liked it. A lot. Now I know why Willow and Dawn are so into the vamp lovin'. Like they say… once you go vamp, you never go bamp… or back… or something… look… I know I'm not making much sense, but it's probably because my brains are currently all over your bedspread." He looked down at his wet t-shirt. "And my shirt. Do you have another one I could borrow?"

Duncan glanced over at the bed then looked down at the front of Xander's shirt. "Oh… uh, sure." He dug through his bag again and pulled out a sweater. "I don't have any more t-shirts… will this be ok?"

Xander nodded and stepped close to him, wearing a warm smile. "It's all good. Thanks." He turned and started for the bathroom then stopped and turned around. "You didn't do anything wrong, okay?"

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Willow walked out of the cage and took Angel's arm. "You need to do the bonding whatever thing with Spike… let him know that you're sorry."

Angel nodded. "I will, but why is he doing this? Why is he reliving things that happened over a century ago? I didn't do that when I got my soul. I saw every person I'd killed… I still see them occasionally, but I didn't relive anything."

Willow shrugged. "He's probably punishing himself. You punished yourself with all the brooding and eating rats and whatever for decades. This is Spike's way, I guess."

Dawn nodded sadly from her position on the bed. "Spike loves to be touched and held. It's one of his favorite things in the world, aside from those onion blossom things, so he's turning one of his favorite things into a punishment for all the evil stuff he's done."

Angel nodded and followed Willow into the cage then stopped next to the bed and looked down at the still, silent vampire that was chained to the cage wall. "I can't do anything with him tied down like this. We're going to have to release him."

Dawn looked Spike over, grimacing at the dried blood all over his wrists and the chain that was wrapped around them. "Ok, let me lock the cage door in case he wigs out."

Angel shook his head. "That won't be necessary, I can control him."

Dawn looked up at Angel. "You sure? It took both Duncan and me to hold him down earlier. He's way strong, even for a vamp, because he's been feeding from me."

Angel nodded. "I can control him. It's a vampire thing, Dawn. If I speak to him a certain way, he has no choice but to comply, but I haven't used it on him since before the soul."

Dawn eyes narrowed. "You mean like how Spike told me that he can control Duncan because they're the same family?"

Angel looked at down at Spike. "He told you about that?"

"Yeah. He said that I can control Duncan too, because I'm his mate and I'm equal to him in the family line."

Angel nodded. "You can, but it's mostly used to control fledges. Once they reach a certain age they don't need it anymore, but a vampire will always be able to be controlled by another vampire that's older or above them in the family line." He looked up at Dawn then nodded toward the stairs. "I need all of you to leave. This is a private thing… between us."

Dawn started to object, but the look of caring and sorrow on Angel's face stopped her. She reached up and quickly released the chains holding Spike's wrists to the cage wall then crawled off the bed and pulled Angel into a hug. "Don't hurt him anymore, ok? Please?"

Angel murmured into her hair. "I won't. I promise."

Dawn exited the cage then turned around, her face etched with uneasiness. "Angel… um." Her eyes cut to Spike as a blush heated her face. "Um… I know that this bonding thing involves biting… and um… for vampires, biting and sex go together like peanut butter and jelly… and I know you and Spike have… um… had sex before… so… um…"

Angel held up his hand. "I'm not going to have sex with Spike. Yes, we'll both be aroused because of the biting and yes, usually sex would be included in a bonding, but it's not required, and we're old enough to control ourselves, Dawn. You don't have anything to worry about. Besides, he's mated, remember?"

Dawn let out a relieved sigh as she smiled and stepped quickly over to one of the bags, digging out a pair of black jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt. She clutched the clothes to her chest and turned back to Angel. "Good. That's good." She followed Willow and Trevor over to the stairs, looking back over her shoulder as she mounted the first step. "We'll be just upstairs. Yell if you need help or anything."

Angel nodded at her as he sat down on the bed next to Spike. When he heard the door at the top of the stairs thump closed, he laid his hand on Spike's chest and Spike immediately started thrashing and howling. Angel reached out and grasped the chain still binding Spike's wrists together and pinned them to the bed. He leaned across Spike's chest, his weight pressing the smaller man into the mattress as he moved his head down and growled forcefully into Spike's ear, "Stop, Childe! Be still!"

Spike immediately froze and his eyes flew open in alarm. "Sire?"

"Yes, William. You need to be still. Don't move."

Spike closed his eyes and turned his head away from Angel, baring his throat to the elder vampire. "Yes, Sire."

Angel's fangs dropped and Spike sighed when they sank deep into his neck. He started trembling as the almost overwhelming feelings of remorse and sorrow flowed into him, tinged with a bright streak of love, and sprinkled with bits of pride, respect, and awe. Angel drew Spike's blood slowly, in long, deep pulls, savoring the strength and power in it until Spike stopped trembling and went completely boneless. Angel released him gently and sealed the bite then released Spike's wrists and reached down, gently turning Spike's head so that his mouth rested against Angel's neck. "Feed, Childe."

Spike morphed into his demon and gently slid his fangs into Angel's throat. Angel reeled and clenched his fists into the comforter as a century's worth of feelings barreled into him like a runaway freight train. All of Spike's pain, guilt, and remorse, tangled with the bitterness of abandonment and the dank, empty feeling of worthlessness. Spike pulled mouthful after mouthful, the feral snarls and growls emanating from him at the start slowly turning into a loud purr as his hungry slurping tapered off into gentle sips. Just before Spike's fangs retracted, a warm wave of love and respect flowed through the connection and Angel's fists unclenched. He went limp as Spike gently sealed the bite then fell slack against the bed, not moving or breathing. The basement was deathly silent for a long time, the two men sprawled on the bed looking exactly like the corpses they were.

After a while, the blond vampire twitched and slowly opened his eyes. He tried to sit up but couldn't manage it with Angel's heavy carcass pinning him to the mattress. He bucked up, hoping to dislodge the larger vampire, but Angel didn't budge and Spike collapsed back to the bed with a breathless grunt. He struggled to pull in some air then gasped out, "Oi! Get off me, ya wanker! You're crushin' me!"

Spike brought his still bound wrists down hard on the back of Angel's head and Angel groaned and stirred slightly then slid to the floor with a thump after a less than friendly shove from Spike. He sat up, clutching his head, and looked up at Spike with a pale, drawn face. "You're back. How do you feel?"

Spike sat up slowly, clutching his own head, and muttered, "Like I've been run down by a bloody huge lorry then they backed up to see what they'd hit." He looked around the empty basement then looked back down at Angel. "Where's Bit, and what the bleedin' hell are you doin' here?" He took in Angel's ashen pallor and leaned a little closer. "You look like shit, Peaches. What's happened to you?"

"Dawn's upstairs." Angel turned his head and showed Spike the bite. "I did a bonding with you and you nearly drained me."

Spikes eyes went wide. "You did what? Why? How bad off was I?"

Angel scooted back and leaned heavily on the cage wall. "Pretty bad. What do you remember of the last day or so... since you got your soul? Have you seen anything? Anything at all?"

Spike nodded and flopped back onto the bed, resting his bound hands on his chest. "Yeah, I've seen things. I've seen every person I hurt since Dru killed me. My first meal after I crawled out of my grave… she was young, pretty, about Dawn's age when she first showed up, had on a green dress… she screamed…" He pulled in a deep breath. "All of 'em, the orphanage… I told Dawn about that, the train that Dru and I rode through France, the little girl in the coal-bin, every person I ever touched with fist, fang, or cock… every one of 'em…"

"Dawn's been seeing it too."

Spike's eyes squeezed shut as his face screwed up in pain. "The Claim… that's… I never wanted her to see those things. That's why she's not here, innit? Can't stand the thought of bein' near me anymore, can she? Now that she knows exactly what I've done… what a monster I am…."

"No, she's been with you the whole time. She's not here right now because I sent everybody out so we could do the bonding in private. She's upstairs waiting."

Spike nodded, even though he didn't believe a word of it, and lifted his hands. "So what's with the jewelry?" He sat up suddenly, his eyes wide with alarm. "I didn't hurt anyone, did I? Dawn? Trevor? Duncan? God… I told her not to come in here… not 'till I was safe."

Angel scooted close and reached for Spike's wrists, gently un-wrapping the chain and wincing right along with Spike when pieces of skin were torn off as the links pulled away. "Everybody's fine, Spike. You were hurting yourself, trying to dig the soul out. You didn't hurt any of them."

Spike nodded as he gingerly rubbed at the raw skin around his wrists. "So Bit chained me to protect me." Angel nodded and Spike tilted his head. "So why'd you come? She call you?"

Angel moved back and leaned on the cage wall again. "No, Willow transported us. Dawn died and she had…" Spike tensed and started to get up and Angel growled at him, "Childe!"

Spike immediately froze with his butt hovering a few inches above the mattress. He ducked his head and said quietly, "Sire?"

"Just sit back down and listen and I'll tell you what's been happening, and don't worry about Dawn. She still loves you and she's fine. Everybody's fine." Angel smirked up at Spike. "Dawn slapped me, you know."


	98. Chapter 98  White Hat

Not Long to Wait

Ch 98 – White Hat

"Dawn slapped you?" Angel nodded and Spike smirked. "That's my girl."

"Don't you want to know why?"

Spike quirked his eyebrow. "I imagine you said or did somethin' that brassed her off. She threatened to punt you in the bits earlier so actually I'm surprised you got off with just a slap."

Angel nodded as he dipped his head in shame. He started to speak, but Spike held up his hand. "Even though the thought of Dawn smackin' you gives me warm fuzzies, first tell me 'bout her dyin' again. What happened this time?"

Angel leaned his head back on the bars of the cage with a tired sigh. "Giles. He went off the reservation and was out for your dust so he commandeered the Council's Black Ops team and they surrounded the house. Apparently the plan was to immobilize everyone in here and take the two of you back to Council headquarters, but the soldier that tried to shoot Dawn in the shoulder missed and got her in the head."

"So the Council's not after me? It was just Giles?" He sniffed deeply. "He was here, wasn't he? Can smell the tweedy wanker. Where is he now? Hopefully you've got him chained in the bloody bathtub. That'd be fittin'. A bit of poetic justice."

"He's gone; we turned him over to the Black Ops team and they're taking him home to face an irate Council that has absolutely no problem with you. Actually, they were worried about you and asked Willow to keep them updated on your condition. They even offered to help you."

Spike shot Angel an incredulous glance then snorted, "Right. Pull the other one, Peaches. Like the Council gives a bloody toss about me. They might tolerate my existence for Dawn's sake, but anythin' more than that? Not a chance."

Angel sighed tiredly again, "They care, Spike. You can call them yourself if you don't believe me. Willow's got the number."

Spike nodded slowly. He knew that Angel had no reason to lie to him but he was still having a hard time wrapping his brain around the fact that the Council of Wankers cared whether he lived or dusted. He gave a mental shrug and decided to let it go for now then looked down at his hands. "So why am I still here and not havin' my bollocks roasted in some fiery hell dimension? Thought the mating bond meant I'd dust the next time Dawn died."

Angel slumped even further down the cage wall and seemed to be having trouble holding his head up. "Usually it would, but your souls are bonded together or something. Willow can explain it better, Spike. There was a magic bubble… and Latin… and I'm just too weak."

Both vampires suddenly clutched their ears in agony as a squeal reverberated around the basement. "Spike! You're awake!" A blur of black flew through the room and tackled the blond vampire to the bed then rained kisses down on his face.

Spike laughed and wrapped his arms around Dawn, squeezing her tightly as he nodded. "Yeah, Bit, I'm awake. Deaf… but awake. How'd you know?"

She raised herself up, planting her hands on the mattress next to his head as she gazed down into his eyes. "Felt you wake up through the Claim. One minute your signature was all fuzzy and weak and the next it was really loud, so I figured you'd finally come to. I waited for a little while because Angel said it was private, but I just couldn't wait anymore." She lowered her head and started peppering his face with kisses again.

He chuckled, "Go easy on the mug, yeah? My cheek hurts for some reason."

She lifted her head. "Yeah, Duncan punched you. Are you ok?"

He smiled at the concern radiating from her face and nodded again. "I will be."

"Were you seeing stuff? I saw…"

Spike put his finger to her lips. "Yeah, pet, I saw it, still seein' it as a matter of fact. I'm sorry you had to see all that… the horrible things I've done… I never wanted you to. Are you still seein' anything?"

She lowered her head and swept her lips across his then slid her arms underneath him, pulling him tight against her as she pressed her face into his neck, speaking quietly against his skin. "No. It stopped a while ago; I guess when you passed out again. I saw a few things, just flashes, right after your signature came back online, but then they kind of just petered out." She gently kissed his neck. "You can share it with me if it helps you, Spike. I love you… I'll always love you."

Spike squeezed her tightly and whispered into her hair. "And I'll always love you… forever."

Angel smiled, "Told you," then his nose twitched as Xander and Duncan stepped off the stairs followed by Trevor and Willow. He turned around and his eyes widened as he took in the bite mark on Xander's neck and the careful way he was moving. He was out of the cage and across the room with Duncan pinned to the wall by his throat before anyone could even blink. He leaned close and snarled at Duncan, "What did you do, Childe?"

Willow squeaked and Dawn shouted, "Angel! Let Duncan go! God, what is with you?"

Angel let Duncan drop back to the floor and turned to Xander. "He bit you." Angel sniffed deeply and growled, "I smell blood… and not just from the bite on your neck. How badly are you hurt?"

Dawn jumped off Spike and rushed over to Xander then took an arm and helped him over to the couch. She watched as he eased himself down carefully, hissing slightly as he settled into the cushion, then he looked up at her and smiled. "I'm fine, Dawn, really. Nothing to see here," he nodded toward the cage, "So please go do whatever you were doing to Captain Peroxide in there… you know… just as long as it doesn't involve any more clothing removal. I've seen enough naked Spike to last me a few decades." He smirked up at her. "It took a lot of me threatening to never again fund any trips to the mall, but I got the picture back." He turned his smirk to Spike. "And I fed it to the garbage disposal. You're welcome."

Spike smirked back and nodded his thanks as Angel slid down the wall next to Duncan and thumped to the floor, his face pale and drawn. "What happened, Xander? What did he do?" Willow started toward him and he waved her off, pointing to Xander.

She veered away from Angel then sat down next to Xander and looked him over carefully, her eyes narrowing as they skated over the bite on his neck. "Ok, Xan… spill. What's going on?"

Dawn looked over at Duncan who was wearing a look of shame as he leaned against the wall that Angel had slammed him into. She sat down on the other side of Xander and laid her hand gently on his arm. "Xan, did Duncan hurt you?"

Xander shook his head. "No… well… yes, he did a little… but it's ok." At their looks of confusion, he elaborated. "Wils… Dawnster… um… Duncan and I… um… gotgroinyupinDuncan'sroom andI'mgaynow."

Dawn squealed, "You did? That's great!"

Willow squealed, "You are? Well, it's about time!"

They both wrapped Xander in hugs tight enough to almost squeeze the stuffing out of him and he coughed and sputtered until they'd released him then dragged in a lungful of air. "You're not wigged? You knew?"

Willow smirked. "No, we're not wigged and yes we knew… about you being all with the gayness and about you and Duncan getting together. I saw it… in my vision."

Xander's eyes widened, as did Duncan's, but nobody noticed the vampire as Xander sputtered, "You saw me being gay with a vampire in a vision? Since when do you get visions? Is that why you brought me here? So I'd get all gayed up with Duncan?"

Spike spoke up from the cage, "Explanations are in order, 'cause I'm fairly interested in the vision thing myself, havin' been with a Seer for over a century, but it's gonna have to wait a bit." He climbed off the bed and walked over to Angel. "Angel needs to feed." He helped Angel to his feet and walked him over to the couch then laid his hand on Dawn's shoulder as Angel settled onto the couch next to her. "Do you mind, luv? I almost drained him."

Dawn shook her head and held her arm up to Angel. "No, I don't mind at all. Whatever he did fixed you, so go ahead, Angel, take as much as you need."

Angel nodded gratefully and gently sank his fangs into Dawn's forearm as Spike walked back over to Duncan and spoke low enough that only Duncan… and Angel… could hear. "So… you shagged the whelp. Good on you."

Duncan nodded, but couldn't seem to raise his eyes from the floor in front of his feet as he spoke just as low. "Yeah, but I don't know what happened, Spike. I mean, I know **what **happened, I just don't know **why **it happened. There was this weird electric thing and the demon just… took over… and I hurt Xander. I've never done… that… with a man before… and I didn't… uh…"

Spike leaned his shoulder against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "Prepare him? He tore a bit, yeah? Can smell the blood."

Duncan nodded again, even more shame washing over his features. "Yeah, and he's not even angry with me… he said I was good and that he liked it…" He looked up at Spike, his eyes full of anguish. "How could he like it if it hurt?"

Spike shrugged. "Some blokes like a bit of pain with their pleasure, Dunc. Nothin' wrong with it, but next time just use some slick and start with your fingers… ease him into it a bit. Humans are fragile, and even if he likes it, might be best to take a bit of care."

Duncan smiled just a little. "That's what he said… next time."

Spike smiled back. "Guess you didn't hurt him that bad if he wants a repeat performance. How do you feel 'bout it, Dunc? 'Bout him?"

Duncan shrugged. "I'm not sure. I only met him less than twenty minutes before we… uh… you know… but he seems like a good guy I guess."

Spike nodded. "He is. Boy's a white hat, through and through. Get to know him a bit and he'll grow on you… like a fungus. A clumsy, sci-fi lovin', comic book readin', bad Hawaiian shirt wearin' fungus."

Duncan smiled at that then his expression turned serious. "I feel like I should protect him… take care of him, but I have no idea why. It feels kind of like that weird compulsion I had to call Dawn Mistress, but aside from the… uh… sex, I haven't known him long enough to really care what happens to him, other than making sure he's protected because he's human and part of Dawn's family, which makes him kind of part of our family by association… so why do I feel like…"

Spike chuckled, "He's yours? Because you've Claimed him as your Consort, ya git. That's why you feel protective of him. He belongs to you now."

Duncan's eyes went wide. "Claimed him? What? Consort?"

Spike chuckled again. "I keep forgettin' you don't know 'bout any of this. All right, Dunc, you bit him while you were shaggin' him." He reached out and tapped the junction between Duncan's neck and shoulder, smirking when Duncan winced. "And he bit you right there. You've shared blood and sex. That's all it takes to Claim a Consort. You don't even need to say anythin' and there's no ritual like there was for me and Bit."

"But… I practically raped him, Spike! Doesn't he have to consent or something? Can you force Claim someone?"

Spike shook his head. "You didn't force him, Duncan. If you had, the Claim wouldn't have taken, even with the sharing of blood, and I can sense it from the both of you. He wanted it and he's yours now… like it or not."

Duncan looked over at Xander and his features softened into a pleased smile, "Mine," then he blinked and looked back at Spike. "What does being a Consort mean for him?"

Spike shrugged. "Immortality… he'll live as long as you do and won't age past where he is now. He might gain a bit of strength, but seein' that Red already supercharged him with that spell, probably not much. He'll heal faster than a normal human… not vamp fast, but the more blood he takes from you, the faster he'll heal. Oh, and after you've shared some more blood you'll start to be able to sense each other, so you'll always know where he is. Might come in handy when he's knee deep in his blasted Star Trek episodes. You can avoid him and save your sanity."

Duncan chuckled, "You seem to know him pretty well. Have you been friends with him long?"

Spike snorted, "No. I've known him for a long time, but mates? Not a bloody bit. Hated each other with a passion, we did. That plonker kept me tied to a chair in his moldy old basement even when he knew I couldn't hurt him, and he made me watch soddin' Star Trek… over and over. 'Gelus could've learned a thing or two 'bout torture from Harris. The two of us spent years tormentin' each other, I even shagged his bird, wasn't 'til a few weeks ago that we came to a bit of an… understandin'… I guess."

"What happened a few weeks ago?"

Spike shrugged. "I got nicked and tossed into a vampire brothel and some git tortured me 'til Dawn and the rest of the gang came ridin' to the rescue. Seein' me beat all to hell reminded him of somethin' that'd happened back in good ol' Sunnyhell, and he finally realized that I'd changed."

Duncan smirked slightly. "Oh… well you'll have to tell me the rest of those stories sometime… especially the tied to the chair part." He smiled at Spike's chuckle then glanced over at the cage. "Um… so… you're awake… and um… not freaking out. How'd that happen?"

Spike nodded toward the couch where Angel was sealing the bite on Dawn's forearm. "Peaches. He did a bondin' with me… brought me out of whatever that was." He smirked and raised his scarred eyebrow. "Dawn said you punched me. Any particular reason why?"

Duncan's eyes widened and he stammered, "Uh… you were freaking out when Dawn died and I couldn't hold you down because of the whole touching you makes you relive stuff thing… so… I punched you to knock you out."

Spike's head tilted. "Touchin' me does what now?"

Duncan glanced over at the couch, but everyone was focused on Xander, so no help there. "Um… anytime you were touched, you'd start thrashing and screaming. We think you were reliving things that… uh… Angelus… had done to you. Punishments… and… torture… and uh… things like that."

Spike glanced over at the couch and caught Angel's eye then turned back to Duncan. "Thought those memories were a bit fresher than usual. And touchin' me what… pulled up the memories?"

Duncan shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. And it didn't seem to matter who was touching you. Any contact and you'd start freaking out and yelling and everything, but as soon as whoever was touching you let go, you'd go back to just staring at the ceiling."

Spike grunted. "Huh. Never heard of that happenin' before. 'Course, I've only ever heard of one other vamp gettin' his soul restored and I wasn't there to see how he took it." He glanced over at Angel again.

Duncan followed his gaze and muttered, "Yeah… so anyway… sorry about the punch."

Spike shrugged as his gaze returned to Duncan. "No worries, Dunc. Had a lot worse than that… as you apparently know now."

"He's sorry about it, you know."

Spike glanced at Angel again as he nodded. "Yeah… I know."


	99. Chapter 99  Most Important Vampire

Not Long to Wait

Ch 99 – MIV – Most Important Vampire

Angel got to his feet, looking much better, and joined Spike and Duncan. "You two need to do a bonding and then I need to bond with Duncan."

Duncan's eyes got wide again as he looked between the two Master vampires. "I don't know what to do. I've never done a bonding before."

Spike shrugged. "Nothin' to it, mate. We just bite each other and take a bit of blood while we transfer feelings. Sort of like when I fed you to give you my memories, 'cept this time I bite you back."

Duncan looked at the rapidly healing bite on Angel's neck. "Are you going to almost drain me too?"

Spike shook his head. "No. Me and my Grandsire here had a few more issues to get sorted than you and I do, Dunc. Couple of mouthfuls will be enough, although I'm wonderin' why we **need** to do it in the first place." He turned to look at Angel. "I know you bonded with me to bring me back, but I'm mostly fine now, so why?"

Angel nodded toward the couch. "Willow's vision. We have to bond our family, and Dawn, Xander, and Willow have to bond theirs, then we bond the two families together."

"Right. The vision. I'm guessin' there's some sort of buggerin' prophecy to go along with it, yeah?"

Angel smirked. "Yeah. Trevor's uncle has been working on it. I think he's got the full version of the prophecy Dru told Duncan about."

"So it's got to do with Vegas?"

"Yeah. And we're all part of it. Willow's going to explain it, but we need to get the bonding done… and I'm thinking sooner rather than later." He nodded toward Duncan. "You're up, Spike. Bite Duncan."

Duncan looked at Spike then over at the couch and whispered, "Do we need to do it here or can we go… somewhere else?"

Spike shrugged. "Either option works for me… lead the way."

Duncan stepped forward then froze and stepped back, looking fearfully over at the couch. "What about them?"

Spike quirked his eyebrow and glanced over at the couch. "What about 'em? They've got no part of this."

"No, I know that… but… are Dawn and Willow going to stake me for hurting Xander?"

Spike shook his head. "Don't think so, I'm not gettin' anger from 'em. What about you, Peaches? You sensing any forthcoming violence to avenge the whelp's virtue?"

Angel smirked and said, "No," then moved over to Duncan's other side and with a nod to Spike, they each took an arm and led Duncan over to the couch.

Spike leaned down and caught Dawn's lips in a quick kiss then murmured quietly into her ear, "Now would be the time for the shovel speech, luv. Let Duncan know he's not about to be dusty over the whelp there and that you approve, yeah?"

Dawn nodded with a smirk and got to her feet, moving to stand directly in front of Duncan as she looked up into his frightened eyes. "Wils and I are ok with you and Xander being **together** together, but I'm only going to say this once, Duncan." She poked him in the chest. "Shovel. You hurt Xander and we'll beat you to death with a shovel. We clear?"

Willow popped to her feet and stepped up next to Dawn. "And we don't mean hurt him like… uh… sexy hurt… we mean hurt him like broken heart or severe bodily damage hurt. Got it?" She let her eyes bleed black for just a second and Duncan gasped.

He backed up a step and started stammering, "Uh… yeah… got it… I won't… I promise… I'm clear."

Xander reached up and snagged two arms, pulling the girls back down onto the couch on either side of him. "Ok, you've completely scared the shit out of him and I'll be lucky if he wants to be alone in a room with me EVER again. Thanks guys."

Dawn smirked over at Xander. "I seem to remember you threatening Spike and Angel with the very same thing not too long ago, Xan."

Xander smiled. "Well, yeah, but you two are a lot scarier than I am, with the witchiness and the slayerness, I'm just a boring human. Now tell him that you're not going to stake him or anything or I probably won't get to have any… uh… **fun**… with him ever again. And then I'll have to hang out with you two ALL the time because I'll be so bored… and then you'll never get to have any… **fun**… with your vampires either."

Spike nudged Dawn then nodded to Duncan just as Angel did the same to Willow. Dawn giggled at Spike's earnest '_fix this so I still get to shag you stupid_' expression then smiled up at Duncan. "Don't worry, Duncan, we're not going to do anything to you unless, you know, you hurt Xan, but you two can have all the groiny fun you want."

Willow piped up with a giggle. "Yeah, you two have fun, a lot of fun, Xander needs fun."

Duncan ducked his head and Xander looked mortified. "Dawnie! Wils! Jesus! Overkill much? God, can someone actually die of embarrassment?"

Spike chuckled. "Not that I'm aware of, but I suppose there's a first time for everything." He winked at Xander. "Gonna nick your vamp for a bit. Do the bondin'… you lot just sit and visit. We'll be back." He glanced up at Trevor who'd been standing like a statue next to the arm of the couch the whole time. "You might want to get some food or something into Trev there. He looks a bit under the weather. In shock, like. Think all this is a bit much."

Dawn rose from the couch and stepped up in front of Trevor, snapping her fingers in front of his face. He didn't even twitch. "Shit, I think we broke him." She clapped her hands sharply and he jumped. "Trevor? You all right? You went all spacey on us there."

He nodded and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. Um, just um… thinking about stuff." His eyes flicked to Angel then to the spot on Dawn's arm that he'd fed from. "Just wanted to say thanks."

Dawn looked down at her arm in confusion. "Thanks for what?" Trevor's eyes flicked to Angel again and Dawn's eyes widened in surprise. "Not feeding you to Angel? Seriously?"

Trevor blushed and dropped his eyes to the floor. "Yeah. I'm the only one left that's not part of your family, so that makes me expendable, I know."

"Only one left? What are you talking about?"

Trevor looked warily at Angel again. "Giles. Angel took him away…"

Dawn's mouth dropped open. "You think Angel ate Giles?" Trevor nodded and Dawn shook her head. "Giles is fine… well he was fine when we gave him back to the commando guys, anyway. Now he's on his way back to England to face a pissed off Watcher's Council so he may not stay fine, but that's his problem, not ours." Dawn reached out and squeezed Trevor's arm. "You're not vamp chow, Trevor. I feed the vampires in our family and I consider you part of it." She lifted her hand and lightly smacked his arm. "And I didn't feed you to Spike or Duncan so what makes you think I'd feed you to Angel?"

Trevor shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "Don't know. Just realized that I'm the only one here that's completely human and I figured you'd see me as a commodity instead…"

"Instead of a friend? Part of the family? Just because you're human doesn't mean you're food, dufus." Dawn smacked him again and he reached up to rub the suddenly sore spot on his arm.

Willow looked over at Trevor as she stood up. "And you being completely human figures into that vision I had. You're going to play an important part, Trevor, way more important than being a snack for the fang gang. Can you call your uncle again? I need to find out everything I can about that prophecy. I have the niggling feeling that I'm missing something important."

Trevor nodded, the relief at being off the menu showing clearly on his face. "Sure. Let me get something to write it all down on. Be right back." He headed for the stairs.

Willow wrapped her arms around Angel and leaned up for a kiss as Dawn did the same to Spike. Duncan stood there uncomfortably and Xander fidgeted on the couch as the kisses got more heated and… noiser. Finally, Xander cleared his throat. "Uh… the whole smoochie thing is reaching get-a-roominess proportions, guys."

Dawn released Spike's lips with a loud smack and turned a grin on Xander. "So? You've got your own vamp standing right there, Xan. Knock yourself out."

Xander and Duncan looked at each other then Xander blushed and looked down at his knees. "Um… yeah. Not quite… uh… ready for…"

Dawn suddenly reached down and snagged Xander's arm, pulling him to his feet. He stumbled forward into Duncan and Duncan's arms wrapped around him instinctively, pulling him close. Their eyes met for a few intense seconds then Duncan's trailed down to Xander's lips and he slowly dipped his head, lightly brushing his lips across Xander's. They leaned apart slightly, then Xander's arms slid around Duncan and he dove forward, capturing Duncan's lips in a bruising kiss.

The other four occupants of the room watched as hands started slipping under shirts and both men started moaning quietly into each other's mouths. Dawn clutched Spike's hips and pulled him tight against her as she breathed, "God, that is so hot." Spike took the opportunity to lean down and nibble lightly at his mark, sliding his hands under Dawn's shirt as Xander and Duncan broke apart, Xander gasping for much needed air even as his hands continued their exploration of Duncan's torso. Dawn leaned her head back as Spike continued to attack her neck and laughed. "Now who's all with the get-a-roominess? Hmmm?"

Angel smirked as Willow's fingertips skittered across his chest under his shirt. "Looks like all of us are."

Trevor stepped off the stairs and cleared his throat. "Um… should I come back later?"

The three pairs broke apart and stepped away from each other as they tugged clothing back into place then Willow dropped down onto the couch and patted the spot next to her. "No. Come sit down and let's talk to your uncle." She waved her hand at Angel. "You three go do your bonding and by the time you're done, I should know more about the prophecy."

Spike pulled Dawn close for one more kiss before he let her go and headed for the stairs, snagging Duncan's arm on the way by. "C'mon, Dunc. Gotta let the boy heal a bit 'fore you have him again." Angel fell in behind Duncan as Xander stood forlornly in the middle of the room watching them go. Spike looked back over his shoulder and winked at Xander. "Don't worry, whelp. We'll bring him back in one piece."

They started up the stairs and Spike spoke quietly, "Hey, Peaches, how 'bout we give Dunc all our memories that deal with shaggin' blokes?" He stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to smirk at Duncan. "So the next time you two shag, you'll blow his mind… among other things."

Angel chuckled under his breath, "We've got more important things to worry about than Duncan's sex life, Spike."

Spike shrugged as he led the way over to the couch in the living room. "It's just a bleedin' prophecy, Peaches."

Angel muttered, "And an apocalypse."

Spike smirked. "Not like we haven't dealt with that before. We'll sort it and then Duncan'll need to know how to give his Consort a proper seein' to, so I'd say his sex life is equally – if not more – important than whatever the Powers That Fuck With You have planned."

XX

XXXX

XX

Willow was writing furiously in the notebook Trevor had brought downstairs as his uncle read from the prophecy. "Hold on, Mr. Castleman, I can't write that fast." She finished writing down the last passage then read it back to make sure she'd gotten it correct. "Ok, I think I've got it. Now, you've translated a bunch of it, haven't you?"

"Yes, Ms. Rosenberg, would you like me to read those parts out as well?"

"Yeah, that would be a big help, and please, call me Willow."

"Of course, Willow, and you must call me Randolph."

Willow stifled a giggle when Trevor mouthed, "Just don't call him Randy."

Dawn, however, was unable to hold back her laughter, so she clapped her hand over her mouth as she quickly stood up from the couch and stepped across the room. Xander and Trevor followed her as Willow started writing again and Trevor asked quietly when they were out of earshot of the phone, "What's so funny?"

Xander chuckled, "Randy Giles?"

Dawn continued with barely contained giggles, "Why not just call me Horny Giles or Desperate For A Shag Giles?"

"I knew there was a reason I hated you!" Spike bellowed as he stepped off the stairs. Willow shushed him then went back to scribbling as he wrapped his arms around Dawn. "What brought that up?"

Dawn giggled quietly, "Trevor's uncle is named Randolph and Trevor told us not to call him Randy."

Spike snorted as Trevor looked around in confusion. "I still don't get it. What's so funny?"

Spike smiled as Angel and Duncan stepped up to the small group. "It's something that happened back in Sunnydale. Red had done a spell that made us all lose our memories and because Giles and I are both English, we assumed that we were father and son. I didn't have any identification, but a label inside the coat I was wearin' said it had been 'Made with care for Randy' so…"

Angel smirked. "You thought your name was Randy Giles."

Spike touched his nose with a fingertip. "Got it in one, Peaches.

Dawn laughed, "You should have seen the two of them snarking back and forth, all 'disappointment' this and 'penis-mobile' that, but the funniest part was when Giles gave Spike a hug before 'Randy and Joan' went out to fight the vampires that were attacking the Magic Box."

Angel queried, "Joan?"

Spike smirked, "Buffy. She didn't have any ID either, so she picked Joan as her name."

The conversation dried up as the Sunnydale alumni stood quietly; each lost in their own memories until the sound of Willow snapping the phone closed startled them. "I knew it! I knew there was something important!" She stood and walked over to the group gathered at the foot of the stairs as she flipped through the notebook she was carrying. "I thought I knew why the Council was so worried about Spike and I was kind of right, but… wow. I never thought it was this." She stopped near the blond vampire and smiled. "You're the most important vampire in the entire world, Spike! The fate of the whole planet rests on your shoulders. Isn't that cool?"


	100. Chapter 100  Broken

Not Long to Wait

Ch 100 – Broken

Spike stood there with his mouth hanging open wearing a gob smacked expression on his face. Willow waved her hand in front of his face then snapped her fingers, looking at Dawn when she got no response. "We're getting pretty good at breaking the guys, aren't we?"

Dawn smirked and reached down behind Spike, giving him a good hard pinch on his backside. He jumped and yelped, "Oi! Easy on the merchandise!"

Dawn soothingly rubbed the spot she'd just pinched. "You back now, Mr. Important Vampire?"

He pulled out of Dawn's arms and backed up to lean against the wall, his knees threatening to give out completely as the significance of what Willow had just told him started to sink in. He bent at the waist, his fingers finding their way to his head to twine through his hair as he took great heaving breaths. "No. Can't be. Not me. How can I be…" He propped his hands on his knees and looked up at Willow. "You're sure?"

Willow nodded and held up the notebook covered in her scribbles and chicken scratches. "The prophecy says so."

Spike dropped his head with a pained sigh, "Of course it does." He slowly straightened up and leaned against the wall. "All right, Red. Let's have it. Why am I so bloody important?"

Willow started paging back to the beginning of her notes and Angel laid a hand on her arm. "Maybe we should all sit down or something. Trevor still doesn't look well and Spike…"

Willow looked up at Spike's even paler than usual face then glanced at the clock and nodded. "Ok, sure. We have a little time, I suppose, and it might be good to refuel and rest just a little." She started for the stairs. "I'll make some food for the human-ish contingent and then we'll sit down in the living room upstairs and I'll try to explain everything."

Everyone except Spike and Dawn trooped up the stairs after Willow. When they'd gone, Dawn stepped close to Spike and laid her hand lightly on his chest. "You ok? You look a little wigged."

He chuckled, "Wigged doesn't even begin to cover it, pet. 'S not every day you find out that the fate of six billion humans is resting on your shoulders. What if I bollocks it up? The soul is barely handlin' the 60,000 I killed. Don't think it could take 6 BILLION."

"You won't screw it up, Spike. I don't think you would've been picked for this if you weren't the right vampire for the job." She slid her hands down his arms and laced their fingers together. "How are you doing with the whole soul-having thing? You said you were still seeing stuff, right?" Spike nodded. "So how come I'm not seeing it anymore?"

Spike reached out and pulled her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. "I'm blockin' it, pet. Don't want you seein' any more. You've seen too much as it is and I hope you know how sorry I am for that."

She leaned back and looked closely at his face, peering into his eyes. "I can handle it, Spike. And I already told you that if it'll help then you can let it through. You don't have to deal with this all by yourself." She reached up and lightly trailed her fingers down his cheek. "Does it hurt you? The soul?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't exactly hurt, there's just this deep ache that's settled here." He laid his hand over his heart, the same place he'd clawed at when he was trying to remove the soul. "It feels a lot like when I was healin' after that git staked me, but deeper… more… profound, I guess."

She reached up to thread her fingers into his hair then started massaging his scalp. "And you're handling everything ok? Not thinking about dusting yourself anymore? Because I would so kick your ass if you tried."

He sighed as her fingers continued to slide along his skull, lightly scratching. "No, luv, I'm not gonna off myself. I'm not gonna lie, I wanted to right after I was hit with that boatload of guilt, but now I'm managin' all right." He smiled slightly. "And don't worry, 'm not gonna come over all broody like Peaches and start sittin' in dark alleys snackin' on rats."

Dawn smiled and leaned in for a gentle kiss. "Mr. Broodypants said he still sees the people he's killed, even after all this time."

Spike chuckled lightly, "Not surprised. He was raised Catholic. Guilt and self-flagellation are practically hard wired into his DNA. Me? Not so much. Think I'll have a bit of an easier time with it after I've mashed it all down into a manageable lump."

"You're not Catholic? Or you weren't or whatever?"

He shook his head. "No, I was raised Protestant. We attended services, because that's what people of our station and social standing did, but my family wasn't really all that religious."

"Oh. How's your demon handling it?"

Spike snorted, "He's callin' me all kinds of a ponce for gettin' the thing. Says we don't need it."

"You don't."

Spike shrugged. "Well, what's done is done. Can't unring the bell, pet."

Dawn wrapped her arms around him with a sigh. "Yeah, but it just torques my cookies that you didn't even need to put yourself through all this shit. The Council doesn't give a crap if you're souled or not, it was just Giles losing his freaking mind."

Spike nuzzled her ear. "That may be, luv, but I'm bettin' our little prophecy had more to do with me gettin' my soul than the Watcher did. I'd lay odds that he was nothin' but a pawn used to drive me toward that choice for whatever reason."

"Well, aside from all the crap you've had to deal with, I'm kinda glad you're all souled up, 'cause guess what?"

"What, luv?"

"You can't dust. Ever."

Spike's eyes widened and he pushed her back far enough that he could look at her face. "Run that by me again?"

Dawn smiled widely. "You're immortal like me now because our souls bonded as soon as yours hit you, so as long as I'm alive, you can't dust."

"So if I'm staked I'll what… just pull it out and go on about my business?"

Dawn nodded. "Yep."

Spike's knees finally gave out and he slid down the wall, thumping to the floor with a grunt. "Bloody hell."

Dawn sat down next to him and pulled him close, resting her hand on the back of his head as he pressed his forehead into her shoulder. "Don't go thinking you're all Indestructo Vamp, though. It's not like the Gem of Amarra. You can still be hurt; you just won't dust from it."

Spike lifted his head and tried on a smile. "So no long walks on the beach in the summer sun, yeah?"

Xander's voice called down the stairs. "Put your clothes back on and get your butts up here! Food's ready!"

Dawn burst out laughing. "Is that all they think we do? Have sex?"

Spike waggled his eyebrows as he leered at her. "Could prove 'em right, pet. I'm game."

Dawn leaned in for a kiss that left them both panting and she was reaching for the buttons of Spike's jeans when Xander called down the stairs again. "I'm gonna get the hose!"

Spike groaned, "Bloody hell," as he leaned his head back against the wall and fought to get his libido under control. "Tell me again why I can't drain the whelp."

Dawn rested her forehead on his shoulder as she fought her own libido. "Because you're good now. All souled up and everything, and draining Xander would be bad."

Spike raised his head and smirked. "Soul's the one suggested it, pet."

Dawn laughed as she climbed to her feet and started for the bag of Spike's clothes. "Well, tell it no. There will be no draining of Xander."

"Can I at least bite him?" Spike pushed off the floor and followed her over to the bag then wrinkled his nose and scowled at the bundle of cloth she held out to him. "What the hell's that?"

Dawn shook out and held up a slightly wrinkled t-shirt. "Your shirt."

"No. It's blue. I don't wear blue t-shirts."

Dawn bunched up the fabric and slipped it over his head. "Well, you do now. You destroyed your last black shirt when you tried to dig the soul out. Blue ones are all you have left."

Spike shoved his arms petulantly through the sleeves then pulled the cloth down over his belly. "We're gonna have to find a shop because I refuse to wear **this** to the apocalypse."

Dawn laughed as she pressed a pair of socks against his chest. "I'm pretty sure we don't have time for a mall crawl… not that there's a mall anywhere around here, so you're just gonna have to suck it up, Buttercup." She stepped over to where he'd dropped his boots. "Besides, it looks good on you, Spike. Brings out your eyes."

He growled low under his breath as he took his boots over to the couch and sat down to put them on. "Not wearin' it, pet. I'll go starkers first."

Dawn stood back and gazed at him, her eyes glazing over slightly, then she shivered and shook her head, trying to clear it of naked Spike images. "Not that I don't love to see you naked, but I think it would be way too distracting when we're trying to fight whatever it is we have to fight."

Spike stood up from the couch and smirked, "Well, you'll just have to… what did you say? Suck it up, Buttercup."

Dawn giggled, "Bite me."

Spike swept her to him with an arm around her waist. "Love to." He nipped lightly at his mark then let her go and took her hand. "But I can't or the whelp'll get the bleedin' hose." He tugged her toward the stairs, a look of determination on his face. "Let's get this done so I can shag you rotten." They stepped into the living room and Spike announced loudly, "Just so you know, once we've averted this soddin' apocalypse, Dawn and I are spendin' at least a week in bed and the first person to disturb us will be violently eviscerated."

XX

XXXX

XX

"So that's it."

Spike goggled at Willow as he yelped, "That's it? That's it? Are you out of your bleedin' tree?"

Willow consulted her notes. "That's what it says, Spike. Your soul is the power source for the weapon that will destroy the whatever it is."

"So I'm a buggerin' battery?"

Willow shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Why **my** soul? I'm not the only vampire with a soul on the planet. Hell, I'm not even the only vampire with a soul in this room! Peaches and Duncan have a helluva lot more experience havin' one than I do. I'm rather late jumpin' on the soul train, pet, so why…"

"Are you battery boy?"

"Well… yeah."

"Because you **chose** to get it," she tapped the notebook page, "It says here, _'The first will be cursed, the second will remain, but the third must choose.' _ Angel was cursed – he had no choice. Duncan just kept his – again, no choice. So your soul is the most powerful because you **chose** to get it."

"And what if I hadn't? What then?"

Willow shrugged again. "We'd still have to fight, and we'd probably win, but this way…"

"It's a lock."

"Yeah, you know, mostly. Things could still..."

"Go pear shaped? Not exactly news, pet. The soddin' Powers aren't known for their helpfulness or sense of fair play."

Angel spoke up, "So where is this weapon? How do we get it?"

Willow smiled. "We already have it. It's us."

Xander looked around the group. "Us? As in all of us? Or just the supernaturally strong us's? 'Cause I'm so not with the supernatural strength over here. I'll go with you guys just like I always do, but I don't think I'm part of your Bleach Boy-powered weapon, Wils."

"You are, Xan." She flipped a few pages in the notebook. "Ok, here. Randolph translated a few of the passages that listed the parts of the weapon. A tree and a cursed Gael… me and Angel. A dark orphan and a hyena… Duncan and you. And a poet with a key… Spike and Dawn."

Spike yelped in indignation, hoping to preserve just a bit of his Big Badness, "Poet? 'M not a bleedin' nancy boy poet! Who's the wanker that wrote that tripe? I'll tear him from limb to limb!"

Angel chuckled, "You were a poet when you were turned, William."

Xander nudged Spike's shoulder. "You can put away your embarrassed face, Spike. Most of us already knew."

More indignant yelping, "You knew? How? I've never told anyone 'bout that 'cept Peaches and Dru!" He leveled a glare at Angel that almost set him ablaze. "And you, you unbelievable tosser. What right did you have? Why?"

Dawn laid a calming hand on his arm. "Angel didn't tell us, Spike. We found out when we were researching your human life trying to find you. We found a journal that you'd written not long before you were killed. It was full of poems."

Angel nodded. "Apparently your relatives went through your house after you and your mother disappeared. They sold almost everything, but there's a trunk that's been passed down through the family that has what they thought were your prized possessions. The journal was in there."

Spike blinked rapidly. "Where?"

"I have it." He turned to Willow. "It's in the bedroom closet. Can you?"

She nodded and stood up, moving away from the couch to an empty corner of the room. She concentrated on the wooden floor as her eyes bled black then there was a flash of light and an old steamer trunk suddenly appeared at her feet.

Spike stood slowly and moved toward it. "Bloody hell. It's mine." He dropped to his knees in front of it and ran his fingers lightly over a deep gouge in the lid. "This happened the last time Mum and I went to the country house. The soddin' porter…" He trailed off as Dawn moved up behind him, laying her hands on his shoulders. He turned his head and discreetly wiped his eyes on his shirt sleeve then muttered, "Buggerin' soul's turnin' me into a weepy little girl."

Dawn squatted down behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest, resting her chin on his shoulder. "No, it's not. You've had a rough couple of days and you're not a girl because you're a little emotional right now. I'd be crying too if I suddenly had some of my Mom's stuff from Sunnydale."

Xander cleared his throat to take the focus off Spike and give him a few minutes to get himself together. "So… explain how I'm part of this weapon. I'm probably the least supernatural person here besides Trevor. I know I've got the hyena thing and I'm stronger than I used to be because of Willow's little power-up, but…" Angel pointed at Duncan and Xander's eyes went wide. "What's Duncan got to do with it?"

"Well… because you're his Consort. You're mated."

Xander's mouth opened then snapped shut then opened again, but no sound came out. Willow leaned forward and snapped her fingers in front of his face then chuckled, "Crap, Angel. You broke him."


	101. Chapter 101  Unlimited Wiggage

Not Long to Wait

Ch 101 – Unlimited Wiggage

"Ow!"

"Quit being such a baby, it's barely a scratch."

"Barely a scratch? You almost cut my hand off!"

"Oh, I did not. Here…" She took his hand and held it in front of her then hovered her hand over the deep gash in his palm that was steadily leaking blood. She chanted quietly and a soft yellow glow shone for a few seconds then she lifted her hand away. "There. All better."

Xander muttered under his breath, "Still hurt."

"I'm sorry, Xan, I didn't mean to cut you so deep. Dawn just heals so fast and I wanted to make sure I cut her deep enough that our blood could mix before she did and I guess I got a little too slice happy." She reached for his other hand and held it up. "I guess I didn't get this one as deep."

"No, but it hurts too."

She quickly healed the cut on his palm then turned to Dawn. "You're probably healed already, huh?"

Dawn held up her hands, the blood on them looking black in the weak light from the kitchen window. "Yep. I need to wash the blood off, but I'm healed." She started across the dew covered grass toward the kitchen door followed closely by Willow and Xander. "Why did we have to do this outside again? Not much happened. There was just some blue light and I felt a little tingly, but that's it."

"I wasn't sure what would happen and I didn't want to mess up Trevor's house any more than I already have." She looked guiltily at the splintered remnants of the kitchen door that still hung accusingly by the top hinge.

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, I get that, and I'm sure Trevor appreciates it too. So what now?"

Willow stepped into the kitchen. "I need to summon some supplies and a special book from the Council library so we can do the family bonding ritual."

They each took a turn at the kitchen sink to wash the blood off their hands then they stepped into the living room and gravitated toward their significant others. Dawn knelt down next to a cross-legged Spike as he sat quietly sifting through his trunk. There was a pile of books to one side and he was clutching what looked like a silk handkerchief in his right hand. "How's it going?"

His back was to the rest of the room so only Dawn saw his damp face and red eyes. "All right." His hand clutched the scrap of silk in his fist a little tighter. "I'd forgotten so much." He reached down and plucked an old photo off the small stack sitting on the floor next to his knee then held it up. "This is my Da. I'd forgotten what he looked like."

Dawn carefully took the photo and looked at the finely dressed gentleman standing stiffly in a parlor wearing a long dark coat and a tall hat. He held a walking stick in one hand and his other hand was perched on the back of an old wing-back chair. He had Spike's cheekbones and chin and even though the picture was black and white, she thought maybe his eyes were the same vivid blue. She smiled over at Spike as she held the picture up next to his face. "He looks like you."

Spike smirked slightly. "Yeah, but I'd pretty much forgotten what I looked like too, pet. Before your little makeover, I hadn't seen myself for almost half a century, not since Dru and I had our picture taken back in the sixties."

Dawn held the picture out to him and he took it carefully. "Were his eyes blue like yours?"

Spike stared down at the picture lying lightly on his palm for a few long minutes then nodded with a small shrug. "I think so, but he died when I was ten so I don't really remember much about him, and this photo is all I have of him."

"What about your little wooden box? Don't you have pictures of your Dad in there?"

He shook his head. "No. Just a few of Mum and a few of me when I was small. They were all I had time to collect 'fore Dru spirited me away to meet my 'new' family." He put the picture down next to the stack then set a few other pictures on top of it before picking up the next one in the pile with an air of reverence. He held it carefully by the edges and lifted it up for Dawn to look at. "This is my Mum."

Willow had stepped up behind Dawn and she leaned down to peer at the picture. "She's pretty, Spike. Um, I'm going to take the guys out to the yard and get the circle and things set up for the bonding ritual. I don't want to rush you or anything, but could you guys be out there in a few minutes? We really need to get this done."

Dawn and Spike both nodded then watched everyone troop into the kitchen. Dawn peered at the picture Spike was still holding and smiled softly. "She is pretty and she has your eyes."

Spike took a deep breath as he turned the picture and laid it on his knee. "I killed her."

Dawn pushed the books over far enough that she could sit down between them and Spike then she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed lightly. "When you were turned?" He nodded and she laid her head on his shoulder as she looked at the picture balanced on his knee. "Most vampires kill their families when…"

He shook his head vehemently, "No, it wasn't like that. I didn't…" He took another deep breath and clenched his fist tighter around the handkerchief in his hand. "Yeah, most vamps kill their families right after they're turned, hell, Peaches slaughtered his whole village, but…" He dropped his head, his chin almost touching his chest as he said quietly, "I was trying to save her."

Dawn whispered, "Save her from what?"

"She was dying. Consumption. The same thing that had taken Da and I… I turned her, Dawn, and she looked healthy. She was glowing, but… she wasn't the same. She said the most awful things to me… started… she started…" He laid his hand over the picture and his fingers twitched like he was about to crumple it in his fist. "She started coming on to me… my Mum wanted to… to… shag me and I… I had to…"

Dawn laid her hand over his and gently slid it off the picture. "You staked her." He nodded miserably and turned his face away. Dawn reached up and laid her hand on his cheek, turning him back to face her. "It wasn't really her, you know that, right? Your mom loved you and it wasn't her that did or said those nasty things, it was the demon. And I can see your wheels turning, Spike. You're asking yourself why she didn't end up like Duncan now that you know it's possible. Why she didn't keep her soul so she would still be your Mom only with a sunlight allergy." He nodded slightly. "It's because Duncan's special… **you're** special. He kept his soul and you kept your humanity… you kept William. That's why you did what you did for her."

Spike raised a hand and scrubbed it over his face. "Yeah, I guess, but…"

Dawn plucked the picture off his knee and held it up. "But nothing. She loved you and if she were here right now, she'd understand. She'd know what you were trying to do for her and she'd understand."

Spike looked at the picture then turned hopeful eyes on Dawn. "You really think so?"

Dawn smiled and pressed her lips to his shoulder. "I know so. She had to have been a very smart woman… I mean, look at her son."

Spike took the picture and held it in his left hand, the fingers of his right hand gently tracing over his mother's face. He murmured quietly, "Love you, Mum," then delicately wrapped the picture in the silk handkerchief and tucked it back into the trunk. He quickly replaced the other items and shut the lid then brushed his hands over his knees and took a deep, fortifying breath. "Right. Better stop snivelin' and mopin' 'fore I turn into bloody Peaches." He rose gracefully to his feet and held his hand out to Dawn. "We've got a world to save so let's get to it, yeah?"

They stepped out into the yard to the sound of Xander sputtering, "We have to **what**? What the hell does that even mean?"

Willow giggled as Spike and Dawn stepped up next to her. Spike smirked over at the witch. "What's Harris bangin' on about now?"

Willow was still giggling as she said, "I was explaining the ritual and he seems to be having a problem with the part where we have to enter the circle unencumbered by the trappings of humanity."

Spike's smirk melted into an amused grin. "Bit shy, is he?"

Xander yelped, "Shy? What does shy have to do with it? What the hell are **you** talking about?" Spike shrugged then suddenly stripped his t-shirt off and dropped it to the ground at his feet. Xander yelped a little louder, "Hey! What's with the naked?"

"Just removin' my trappings."

"You mean…"

Willow giggled again, "Yes, Xan, we have to go skyclad for the ritual."

Xander squeaked, "Skyclad?"

Spike chuckled as he reached for the buttons of his jeans. "Yeah. Means starkers, naked, bare-arsed… take your pick."

Xander squeaked again as Spike's jeans slithered down his legs to pool around his feet. "What part of 'I've seen enough naked Spike to last me several decades' didn't get through, Bleach Boy?"

Willow smiled even as she averted her eyes away from Spike's pale, chiseled form. "Sorry, but the ritual says that nothing of humanity can enter the circle except the facilitator, so the clothes have got to go, Xan."

Xander spun far enough around that he couldn't see Spike. "Who's the facilitator? Can't I be the facilitator?"

"No. The facilitator has to be fully human."

She turned to Trevor and his eyes widened even as he tried to keep them averted from the naked vampire that had started pacing around the edge of the circle burned into his front lawn. "Me? But I don't know anything about magic!"

"That's kind of the point." Willow smiled as everyone in the group, except Dawn, kept turning this way and that, trying to keep Spike out of their line of sight as he continued to pace. He crouched down by his jeans long enough to fish out his smokes then continued his pacing, trailing smoke behind him.

Angel smirked at his exhibitionist grandchilde and quickly stripped out of his clothes, nodding to Duncan to do the same. Xander's eyes followed Duncan's movements closely as his clothing was slowly removed and dropped into a pile by his feet. He pulled in a lungful of air then breathed out, "Guh."

Spike snickered from behind Duncan, "The whelp doesn't seem to be havin' a problem with bare-arsed vamps anymore, does he?"

Xander leaned over just a bit and scowled playfully at Spike. "Bite me, Evil Dead."

Willow laid her hand on Xander's arm. "There won't be any biting, sorry. At least not right now."

Trevor had turned around completely as more and more pale flesh was exposed and he waved his hand. "Uh… Willow?"

She stepped up next to him and held out a small silver knife that was engraved with arcane symbols. "I know this is majorly of the weird, Trevor, but the whole thing should only take a few minutes and then everyone will put their clothes back on, ok?"

Trevor took the knife and looked down at it for a few seconds then back up at Willow. "Um… ok. Two things. Is this knife supposed to feel like it's been sitting out in the sun all day and do I have to be naked too?"

Willow smiled. "Yes and no."

Xander yelped, "Hey! That's not fair!" then his hands came up to cover his eyes as Dawn stripped out of her clothing, dropping it on top of Spike's. "Gah! Naked Dawn!"

Dawn laughed and stepped up in front of him, reaching up to pull his arms down. "Xander, we're all adults for Pete's sake and I'm sure you've seen naked people before, so what's the big? You're acting like you're still in Junior High and you've just seen your first boobie or something. Seriously, get a grip."

Xander stepped back. "No grip. There will be no 'gripping' of anything. And yeah, I've seen naked people, but they're usually either my girlfriend or just some random people in a magazine! I'm not used to seeing the girl I think of as my little sister without her clothes on! That's just wrong!"

Dawn sighed and turned around. "Wils? Can you do something? Magical valium or something? He's gonna have a stroke before we even get to the ritual."

Willow snorted at Xander's yelped, 'No stroking! Of anything!' then nodded. "Yeah, I can cast a calming spell on him before I do the cleansing spell on all of us."

Angel stepped up next to Xander and laid an arm over his shoulders. "Cleansing spell?"

Willow and Dawn both giggled as Xander yelped yet again and jumped away from the naked vampire. "Yeah. I have to remove all the trappings of humanity. That includes deodorant, perfume, soap…" She caught Spike's eye and smirked, "nicotine," then bounced her smirk between Angel and Spike, "hair gel."

Spike flicked his cigarette away with an, "Oi! The only one here wearin' hair gel right now is Peaches. Nancy Boy brand, if I'm not mistaken."

Angel growled, "You use more product than I do, boy."

Spike smiled and looped his arm over Dawn's shoulders. "**Nobody** uses more product than you do, Angel. You give those poncy boy bands a run for their money."

Willow held up her hands with a forceful, "Hey! Who uses the most hair gel is not the point here. The point is, whatever anybody uses can't enter the circle so… cleansing spell."

Xander had put his back to the group, trying to avoid all the bare skin on display, and Willow sighed as she stepped up in front of him. She crossed her arms over her chest and threw out a full fledged resolve face with a side of frustration. "Xan… a lot of things have happened to you in the last few hours and any one of them is wig-worthy all by itself, and all of them together has sent your wigginess into overdrive and I get that, I do. I wish we had the time to let you freak out until you'd worked through it all, but we don't, so I really need you to just man up and deal right now. The ritual will only take a few minutes and then all the naked will not be naked anymore, so I need you to do that 'Xander represses stuff he can't handle' thing that you do so well."

"But Wils…"

She reached out and gently took his hands in hers as she spoke quietly, "I know it's weird, Xan, and I know we haven't seen each other naked since we were like five or something so this is going to be just as uncomfortable for me as it is for you, but we can get through it. You can get through it. And once the apocalypse is over you can wig to your heart's content. Okay?"

Xander shot her a lopsided grin, "You promise? Unlimited wiggage?"

Willow smiled warmly. "I promise."


	102. Chapter 102  Essence Sweater

I do apologize for the long wait between chapters. I am working on this story and I promise to finish it, but my muse is being a rather impertinent little pill at the moment. I want to say thank you to everyone who has hung in and alerted or reviewed. You guys make writing fun and without your encouragement, I probably wouldn't write at all, so thanks again.

Not Long to Wait

Ch 102 – Essence Sweater

"Okay, Trevor, you have to slice open our palms with that knife and let our blood drain into this cup for a count of five for each person." Willow glanced at Dawn. "And you might have to cut Dawn more than once because she heals so fast. The blood can't stop flowing for the whole five count, so make sure you're already opening a new cut before the old one closes or the ritual will be tainted and won't work."

Trevor gripped the handle of the knife and nodded. "Right. Who goes first?"

"The order is: Angel, me, Spike, Dawn, Duncan, Xander, then you. Once our blood is in the cup, place it on that pedestal in the center of the circle then dip the knife blade into the cup and flick blood on each of the four elemental symbols in order, earth, air, fire, water. Once that's done, you stand at earth because you're representing humanity. Angel and I will step into the circle and stand at air, Spike and Dawn will stand at fire, and Duncan and Xander will stand at water. Then we all reach out and touch the pedestal and the bonding will start."

"I touch the pedestal too? Won't that bond me to everybody?"

Willow shook her head. "Not you personally, but it will bond us to humanity as a whole. It makes us their Champions; the ones chosen as the Protectors of Gaia." She looked down at the book she was holding. "There will be some light and heat that will wrap around all of us – that's the bonding us to each other part – and then the light will move skyward, carrying our essences. When that happens, we'll let go of the pedestal and you'll take the cup and pour our blood onto the ground around it, transferring our essences to the earth. Once the light has dissipated, we step out of the circle in reverse order and that's it, we're bonded."

Xander, his eyes firmly planted on the grass that was tickling his bare toes, slowly raised one hand, the other busy trying to preserve his dignity, although he really didn't have anything to worry about in that department. Apparently, being well endowed was a pre-requisite for all the male members of the Protectors of Gaia Club, but he was still having flashbacks to his high school locker room days. "Um… Wils? Not starting with the wiggage yet, I promise, but… don't we kind of need our essences? Isn't that the same as our souls?"

Willow shook her head, smiling slightly as Xander dropped his hand, curling both of them around his nether region like a flesh and bone sports cup. "No, your essence is your life force. It's what animates your body. A soul is… well, nobody really knows **what** a soul is, but it's not the same as your essence, they're two different things."

"Ok, but still… if we pour our essences onto the ground then…"

"Um… try to think of it like this. Imagine that your essence is a sweater woven from thousands of threads. The bonding ritual sort of teases a few threads loose from the hem and anchors them to the earth and everybody in the circle, but the rest of the sweater is fine. Does that make sense?"

Xander shrugged. "As much as anything ever does, I guess. All right, let's get on with this; I have a wig out appointment I'm already late for."

Angel stepped up in front of Trevor, his hair standing up every which way due to the lack of gel, and held out his hand. "Cut me deep, Trevor. Vampires heal fast."

Spike snorted from somewhere behind Angel, "Yeah, 'specially ones as old as Granddad there."

Angel smirked over his shoulder and growled, "Watch your mouth, boyo," as Trevor deftly sliced deeply across his palm.

Angel held his hand over the cup Trevor was holding as Trevor muttered under his breath, "One Mississippi, Two Mississippi…"

Just as Trevor finished his count, Willow stepped up beside Angel with her hand out. "My turn." She looked back over her shoulder as Trevor sliced open her palm and started counting. "Everybody get in line. The blood can't stop flowing into the cup for more than a few seconds."

Spike stepped up behind Willow as Angel moved off to the side, licking the blood from his palm and sealing the cut. As soon as Willow's count was finished, she moved away, raising her hand to Angel, and Spike thrust his hand over the cup. Trevor sliced it open and muttered his count as Dawn readied her hand. "You'll have to just keep slicing me, Trev. One right after the other."

He nodded as Spike moved away then took hold of her hand, slicing it twice in quick succession as soon as she'd moved it over the cup. He sliced her eight more times before her count was up and Duncan moved to take her place. Willow had moved next to Xander and had her hand on his arm in case he was going to hesitate, but he stepped up in front of the cup just as soon as Duncan had moved, his hand out and ready.

Willow healed the cut across Xander's palm as Trevor sliced his own palm and counted off. He held his hand out for Willow to heal then picked up the cup and stepped into the circle, green light flashing brightly around the yard as he set the cup carefully on the pedestal. He dipped the knife blade into the blood, swirling it around for a few seconds, then pulled it out and flicked several drops of blood onto the symbol for earth. The process was repeated for the other three symbols then he stepped back, taking his place on the earth symbol as he slipped the knife into his belt. "Ok. The circle is ready."

Willow nodded. "Ok. Each pair hold hands. You have to be joined when you enter the circle and make sure that your feet are completely on the symbol."

She took hold of Angel's hand and was about to step into the circle when Dawn caught her arm and pulled her aside, whispering low, "Uh, Wils? This thing is going to bond you and Angel like a mating ritual, right?"

Willow nodded. "Yeah."

Dawn reached up and lightly touched Spike's mark on her neck. "What about mating marks? Will it give you those?"

"No, but we'll still be mated. Why?"

Dawn pulled her a few more steps away from the group, although they were still well within range of vampire hearing, and whispered quietly, "I think you'll want a mark, Wils. It's…" She brushed her fingers over her mark and shuddered, moaning low in her throat. "Sensitive… really sensitive." She moved close to the fiery-haired woman and whispered in her ear, "Spike made me come once just by licking it. He didn't touch me anywhere else and it was… Wow. Really wow. You definitely want one of these."

Willow eyed her mark then turned and looked over at the group. Spike, Angel, and Duncan were standing fairly close together, eyes trained on the two women intently. Spike was wearing a look of pride and Duncan looked slightly embarrassed as he kept shooting glances at Xander. Angel was smiling at her as he nodded toward the house. She nodded back and, as one, they moved quickly across the yard and disappeared through the kitchen door.

Dawn slipped up behind Spike and wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling against her mark. "How long do you think they'll be?"

He shrugged. "Not long, I'd expect. Don't imagine Red'll let that blood sit… there's probably some sort of time frame we have to adhere to."

Xander's eyes were trained on the kitchen door. "What are they doing? Why'd they go in the house?"

Spike looked over at the nervous human. "They're gonna bite each other so when we do the mojo, they'll have Claim marks like the rest of us." He nodded at the bite on Xander's neck. "Touch yours." Xander blushed slightly and turned his back on the group then reached up and brushed his fingers across his mark. Spike chuckled quietly at the shudder that passed through his body then murmured, "See? That's why they didn't want to miss out."

Xander nodded as he slowly moved to stand behind Duncan, trying to conceal the sudden erection he'd sprouted from touching Duncan's bite. "Oh. Yeah. Got it."

Duncan's nose twitched as he turned slightly to look at Xander's blushing face then he smiled when he saw the reason for the blush. He turned back around, making sure to keep Xander hidden from the rest of the group as the flustered man worked on thinking not sexy thoughts. He was embarrassed enough already, what with all the naked, and having to stand around in a circle with his friends and family while sporting wood was something he'd rather not have to experience. His wig out list was long enough, thank you very much. He finally let out a relieved sigh when the thought of that massive pile of mortification caused his member to give up… for now. He was definitely going to explore the bite mark thing later… without an audience.

Angel and Willow stepped out of the house a few minutes later, both wearing huge smiles and sporting fresh bites on their necks. They walked hand in hand toward the group and together they stepped into the circle, a flash of silver light heralding their crossing of the threshold. They took position on the air symbol, making sure that their feet weren't touching the grass on the edges of the scorched earth.

Spike smiled at Dawn as he took her hand and they stepped across to a flash of red light. Duncan hesitantly reached for Xander's hand and smiled warmly when Xander clutched it tightly before they stepped into the circle to a flash of blue light. Trevor checked to make sure everybody's feet were in the proper position then leaned forward slightly and laid his hand on the pedestal next to the bottom of the cup. Six other hands joined his on the pedestal and everyone jumped slightly at the sudden feeling of intense warmth that seemed to wrap around them all like an electric blanket.

The members of the circle that required oxygen were having a hard time pulling air in the stifling heat as the symbols they were standing on lit up with the same colored lights that had flashed when they'd entered the circle. The streams of light rose from the earth, enfolding the people standing on each symbol before rising higher and entwining in an intricate pattern that reached toward the heavens.

Willow gasped, "Now, Trevor," and let go of the pedestal. Everyone else followed suit then Trevor reached a shaky hand toward the cup, wrapping his fingers tightly around the stem. He pulled it toward himself then tipped it and quickly circled it around the pedestal as the combined blood rained down, sizzling when it splashed on the grass at the base.

The light retreated as the blood drained out of the cup, falling slowly back toward the earth. It washed over the participants, leaving them cold and gasping as it pushed their blood deep into the ground. Faint bubbles of light pulsed and churned around their feet as the symbols they were standing on dissolved, leaving nothing but perfect circles of charred soil. When the light had completely faded, sinking into the dirt with what sounded like a contented sigh, Willow nodded at Duncan.

He tightened his grip on Xander's hand and gently tugged him backwards. As soon as they breached the perimeter of the circle they both collapsed, shivering and panting as they lay in the chilled grass. They were soon joined by Spike and Dawn, then Angel and Willow. Trevor was the last to step out and fall backwards into an exhausted heap. He was shivering and breathing hard, but at least he was conscious. The same couldn't be said for the six naked people sprawled in uncomfortable looking positions on his front lawn.

He pulled himself wearily to his feet and headed for the house, coming out a few minutes later with a large bundle of cloth piled precariously in his arms. He spread the first blanket over Duncan and Xander then covered the other two couples and sat down against a decorative tree stump, wrapping the last blanket around himself.

The six supernatural beings laid there for a long time, trying to regain their strength. Even in their weakened and unconscious states, they could feel the pull of the earth; hear it whispering in the back of their minds. A shaft of sunlight broke through the trees and fell on an exposed arm, warming the skin. The person attached to the arm shifted slightly, moving the blanket covering their form and exposing more skin to the rising sun.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, all six forms were bathed in its rays, the light heavy against eyelids finally causing one to pull the blanket over their head and mumble to their companion, "Turn out the lights, pet. Tryin' to sleep over here."

Dawn rolled over and reached for the bedside table, blinking in confusion when she came up with nothing but a handful of grass. She lifted her head and looked over her shoulder, eyes widening to dinner plate size as she bolted up and jerked the blanket over Spike's exposed legs, screeching, "Spike! The sun! You're out in the sun!"

Jerked rather roughly into full wakefulness, Spike immediately curled into a ball under the blanket, hands flying to extremities to ensure their protection from the deadly light he could feel warming every square inch of the cloth he was covered with. "How far am I from the door? Can I make a run for it?"

Dawn glanced from the vampire shaped lump under the blanket to the kitchen door then back, her eyes screeching to a halt on the bit of pale skin she could see peeking out from under the edge of the blanket. She stepped closer, looking intently for any signs of burning or smoking, then she laughed in delight, causing Spike to grump loudly, "Yeah, real funny, luv. A charred mate is just a laugh a minute, innit?"

Wrestling her laughter under control, she managed to get out, "Calm down for a minute and concentrate, Spike. Do you maybe feel a little draft anywhere?" Dawn bent down and pinched the bit of Spike she could see, laughing even louder when he yelped and scooted forward, pulling the blanket to cover his backside. "You're not burning. Your butt was hanging out for a while and it's not burned at all!"


	103. Chapter 103 Overdose

I want to sincerely thank everyone who's stuck with this story. It's been a long time coming, but I've finally finished it. And I want to especially thank those who PM'd me to prod me along. Without you lighting a fire under my backside, this may have never been finished, so thank you.

There are three chapters after this one and I'll post them every couple of days. Also, I hadn't planned on an epilogue, but if there are things you want to know or some loose ends you feel need to be tied up, please let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks again!

Not Long to Wait

Ch 103 – Overdose

Spike sat up, the blanket falling down to pool around his waist as he squinted in the bright, mid-morning light. He started laughing as he held up his hands, twisting and turning them as he watched the sunlight play across his pale skin. "I'm not on fire!" He jumped to his feet and darted over to Angel, nudging him none too gently in the back with a pale foot. "Peaches! Wake up! I'm not on fire!"

Angel rolled over, lifting his hand to shade his eyes as he squinted at his bouncing grandchilde. "What?"

"I'm not on fire, you great lummox! And neither are you!"

The sunlight shining off Spike's blond hair and pale chest finally registered with Angel's sleep fuzzed mind and he sat up, holding up his hands and turning them in amazement just as Spike had a few minutes previously. "What? How?"

Spike was giggling like a teenage fangirl that had been mainlining Red Bull for two solid days as he held out his arms, turning his face up to the sun. "Don't know, don't care. Isn't it brilliant?" He brought his forearm close to his face and smirked at it. "Wonder if I'll freckle."

Willow mumbled from underneath the puffy quilt she and Angel had been covered with. "Side effect of the bonding."

"What's that, Red?"

She sat up, hugging the quilt to her chest as she blinked sleepily at the still very naked blond vampire. "It's a side effect of the bonding ritual. Gaia has given her protection and blessing to her chosen defenders." She nudged Angel with a milk-pale shoulder. "Wouldn't do her much good to have defenders that could only defend half the time, would it? So now the undead members of her superhero squad are all sunproof."

Angel surged to his feet and stood with his face turned up to the sun, mimicking the pose of his grandchilde. Spike smiled over at him. "Feels good, doesn't it, Peaches?" At Angel's nod, Spike looked down at Willow. "This is permanent, yeah? Not gonna wear off after a bit?"

Willow smiled as she stood, wrapping the quilt around her. "It's permanent, so you and the rest of the fang gang are gonna have to look into massive amounts of sunscreen. I'm thinking you should just have it delivered in a tanker truck, 'cause I am so not going to listen to the whining when you get sunburned."

Spike whooped loudly and he and Angel made quite the spectacle of themselves as they gamboled across the grass. Dawn laughed as she picked up her shirt and slipped it over her head. "And all three of you probably shouldn't be out sunbathing at the same time… you'll blind the poor astronauts on the space station with all that white skin."

Spike slid to a halt next to an amazingly still sleeping Xander and a Duncan who was smiling in amusement at the antics of his elders. He'd woken at Dawn's outburst and had almost jumped to his feet to join the ecstatic celebration, but the feel of Xander draped across his chest had kept him still. He had lifted his arm, though, enjoying the feeling of the sunlight warming his skin for a few moments before he'd slipped it back under the blanket to wrap around his snoozing Consort.

Spike smirked at him then bent down and whipped the blanket off as he shook Xander's shoulder and shouted in mock alarm, "Wake up, whelp! Your vamp's out in the sun!"

Xander bolted up, blinking blearily at Spike then slowly turning around when Spike pointed to something behind him. His eyes fell on Duncan's bare chest shining in the sunlight and he yelled, "Shit!" as he dove sideways, covering as much of Duncan as he could with his own body. "Somebody get me a blanket or something!"

Spike chuckled and held up his hand as Trevor started forward, unwrapping the blanket from around his shoulders. "Wait for it."

Xander looked around wildly at the people standing around him doing nothing but smiling and it was glaringly evident when it finally clicked. His eyes flicked over the sun drenched pale skin of two still very naked vampires then he looked down into Duncan's astonished eyes before looking up at Willow. "That ritual thing did something to make them all sun-proof or something now, right? That's why they're not with the fire and ash and everything and why I'm the only one wigging out?"

Willow nodded and Dawn laughed, "Yeah, but good reflexes anyway, Xan."

Xander rolled off Duncan and threw his arm over his eyes. "Thanks. And I so needed a heart attack right before I have my morning coffee. You guys are so very not funny." He waved his other hand around at the group. "Please continue with the frolic and merriment and don't mind me while I lie here quietly dying."

Dawn finished fastening her jeans as she considered her friend. "Xan? You ok?"

He lifted his arm just enough to peek at her. "Did you not hear me with the whole heart attack thing?"

She smiled. "Well, yeah, that's a normal Xander reaction, but now… um… you're still naked. Spike's naked. Angel's naked. Duncan's naked. And you're not freaking out about the naked. So, are you ok?"

Xander lifted his head and looked around Trevor's front yard at the, yep, still naked vampires that were standing there soaking up the sunshine. "Huh. Didn't notice."

Dawn looked over at the mound of cloth that was Willow getting dressed under the quilt. "Wils? Is that calming spell still active?"

The quilt said, "It shouldn't be. It wasn't designed to last more than an hour or so." Willow threw the quilt off then shrugged. "Probably something to do with the bonding ritual. It made three vampires immune to sunlight, so I don't see why it couldn't have given Xan a shot of chill. Wouldn't help much in a fight if he's over in the corner gibbering because whatever we're fighting is naked or has slimy tentacles or whatever." She bent down and scooped up Angel's clothes. "Speaking of which…" She walked over and handed them to Angel. "Get dressed, nature boy. We've still got a fight to get to and we're seriously running out of time."

XX

XXXX

XX

Spike nudged Duncan as they stood just inside the door to Trevor's workshop waiting for Angel to finish feeding from Dawn's arm. "What's goin' on with you?"

Duncan shot him a sideways glance. "Nothing. What do you mean?"

"Just that you've been quiet since we woke up earlier. Somethin' happen? Aside from the obvious?" He waved at the sunlight streaming through the open door that they'd been standing in for the past few minutes.

Duncan glanced over to the open trunk of the DeSoto where Xander stood strapping a dagger sheath to his thigh. "He tried to protect me. He wasn't even fully awake, but his first instinct was to get me covered and out of the sun. Why?"

"He's your Consort. You're meant to protect each other."

"So it's part of the Mating Claim? Not something he'd do without it?"

"No. A Mating bond can't force someone to do something. The inclination has to already be there. The bond just heightens it, is all."

"So, he wants to protect me?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"Weird feelin', isn't it? Findin' out someone wants to take care of you after bein' on your own for so long."

"Yeah."

"Well, better get used to it, mate. The whelp's like a dog with a bone once he gets somethin' in his head. I think you've just come under the protection of one Xander Harris, and once he deems you worthy, he'll do everythin' he can to keep you alive."

XX

XXXX

XX

Spike sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "Bloody hell, Red. Feel like I've been put through a blender."

Willow was lying on her stomach on the plush carpet, digging her fingers into it as she tried to make the room stop spinning. "Sorry. I've never transported so many at once, and this is the first time I've transported without a person as a specific focal point, but I'll get better at it. Just need a few more times to get it down."

Dawn crawled over from where she'd landed and flopped onto the floor next to Spike, laying her head on his thigh. "Or maybe we could just drive next time. God, I feel like I just got off the most twisty roller coaster ever."

The sound of someone retching loudly drifted to them from behind the large couch then Xander stumbled around it, pale-faced and clutching a small trash can to his chest as he wiped his sleeve across his mouth. "Remind me not to eat anything spicy before we do this next time, ok? Think those enchiladas burned right through my esophagus on the way back up."

Spike nodded toward the two dark-haired men that were slumped in an untidy pile near the bedroom door of the large hotel suite Willow had popped them into. "Wake up the sleeping beauties over there, would ya? Let 'em enjoy the nausea 'fore it wears off."

Xander set the trash can on the coffee table then stumbled over and slumped down next to the unconscious forms. He pushed at Angel, rolling him onto his back and off of Duncan. "Wake up, Dead Boy, Spike doesn't want you to miss the nausea."

Angel groaned and his hand went to his head. "Christ. What happened?" He sat up slowly then looked around at the greenish tinged faces of his companions. "I didn't feel sick the last time…"

Willow mumbled, "I used a little too much magic, I think. Wanted to make sure we'd get here in one piece, so we've all got teensy magic hangovers. It should wear off soon."

Xander pushed against Duncan's shoulder. "Hey, Dead Boy the Third, wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey."

An incomprehensible mumble drifted up from the large vampire as he rolled to his stomach then levered himself shakily to his hand and knees. He sat back on his feet then reached up to clutch his head. "What happened?"

Spike chuckled, "Question of the day, innit? Red overdosed us on mojo, apparently. She says it'll wear off soon."

Dawn sat up, already feeling better thanks to her quick healing, and scooted behind Spike, pulling him to lean against her before gently running her fingers through his hair. "So, this weapon that we're all part of… How's it work?"

Willow rolled over with a shrug. "No idea. The prophecy listed the parts and said that Spike's the power source, but it didn't say how to make it work or anything."

Xander chuckled as he flopped over onto his back, his eyes closed. "We probably all have to hold hands or something and Spike's hair will power up and blind it to death."

Spike lifted his hand and gave Xander a two-finger salute that he didn't see. "So… what? We just go in without knowin' how to work this? You're tellin' me that the Queen of Research knows absolutely nothin' useful?"

Willow turned her head far enough to glare at the blond vampire. "I know some stuff, mister, just not everything… and I did research it as much as I had time to. I got the impression that whatever this weapon is, it's kind of a last line of defense type of thing. That it won't work unless we have no other option."

"So we go in swingin' like usual and if things go pear shaped, we'll just know what to do?"

"Uh… pretty much."

"Great."


	104. Chapter 104 Showtime

Not Long to Wait

Ch 104 – Showtime

After freshening up a bit in the richly appointed bathroom, they stepped out into the hallway, startling a maid that was unlocking the suite across the hall. She checked the clipboard that listed the rooms to be cleaned that day then threw a confused glance at the backs of the oddly dressed group that had emerged from a room that was supposed to be vacant. She shrugged as she scribbled the room number at the bottom of the list then hung the clipboard back on its hook. It wasn't like this was the first time the front desk had screwed up.

Once the elevator doors had closed, Dawn reached for Spike's hand. "So how do we get to the Hellmouth?"

"Last time I was here, this tasty little waitress took me into the basement for a…" He trailed off and shot Dawn a guilty look. "Um… there should be a tunnel entrance in the basement."

Xander chuckled, "Not a very good save there, Dead Boy Junior. And I know it's weird and wrong coming from me, but there's this whole 'thinking before you speak' deal you should look into."

Dawn squeezed Spike's hand as he growled, effectively cutting off whatever snarky remark he'd been about to make. "It's ok, all that is in the past, and that's not who Spike is anymore."

Spike mumbled, "Yeah, still doesn't mean you should have to hear 'bout it, though."

Dawn reached up and grasped Spike's chin, turning his head to face her. "Yeah, it does. You lived for a long time before you met me and you should be able to talk to me about stuff. I don't want you to have to hide 95% of your existence just to spare my feelings. I'm a big girl and I can handle it. Got my big girl panties on and everything." Spike slid his hand under her duster then dipped his fingers into the waistband of her jeans with a smirk and she smirked right back. "Metaphorically, Spike. I have my metaphorical big girl panties on."

Xander groaned, "And we're talking about underwear again. For people that don't even wear any, you two sure talk about it a lot."

Spike's head whipped around and he glared at Xander. "And just how would you know the state of my undergarments, whelp? Been peekin', have you?"

Xander smirked. "I lived with you, remember? And which one of us had to do all the laundry after you declared that the washer was evil because you shrunk your clothes? Hmmm? I remember washing jeans and t-shirts, but I don't remember washing any…"

Spike held up his hand with a smile. "All right, all right. I get it."

The doors opened onto a bustling casino floor full of blinking lights and clanging and beeping slot machines. The group garnered quite a few interested stares as Spike, holding tightly to Dawn's hand, broke trail through the crowd, but, being Vegas, nobody thought twice about the various weapons strapped to the six people weaving their way toward the back of the casino.

Spike nodded at the fancy restaurant tucked into the back corner. "The door to the basement used to be over there."

Angel asked, "Used to be?"

Spike shrugged. "They've remodeled since I was here last. That area used to be a gift shop with a bitty diner, but I don't expect that they've moved the basement entrance. I'd assume it's in the kitchen." He tugged Dawn forward. "Guess we'll find out."

The area in front of the restaurant was full of people waiting to be seated and Spike pushed through the crowd, ignoring the indignant utterances of the people who thought that the strange group was cutting the line. The maitre d' looked up from his reservation book as Spike sort of gently pushed the last person out of his way and stepped up to the podium. "Yes, sir, do you have a reservation?" Spike's eyes flashed amber and his fangy growl had the man stepping out from behind the podium with a gushed, "Of course, sir. We've been expecting you. Please follow me."

Spike threw a confused glance over his shoulder at Angel who just shrugged and motioned for Spike to follow. The maitre d' led them through the dining room at a rapid pace, sharply motioning the waiters and waitresses he encountered out of his way with a flick of his hand. Suddenly he veered behind a free-standing wall and stopped outside a set of swinging doors. He pushed one door open and bowed. "You will find what you seek in the northwest corner. We all wish you the best of luck and offer you our heartfelt thanks."

Spike considered the finely dressed gentleman as he stood upright then he leaned close and sniffed him. "Ah… Vorlock demon, yeah?"

"Yes, sir."

"So you know what's down there?"

"Yes, sir."

"Care to fill a bloke in?"

"I regret, sir, that I cannot. It is not allowed."

Spike nodded. "Right then. We'll just nip down and kill it, shall we? Expect a drink or ten to be waitin' when we get back."

"Of course, sir. Anything you desire will be made available upon your return."

"And if we don't return?" The demon shook his head sadly then dropped his gaze to the floor and Spike nodded again. "Yeah. Kinda what I thought." He turned to the group gathered behind him. "Saddle up, kiddies. Let's go be heroes."

He stepped through the door and headed for the northwest corner of the large, noisy, and hot kitchen. Pots and pans were clanging as the chefs filled plate after plate with elegantly arranged foodstuffs, all the while shouting orders to their underlings. The entire room was a study in barely controlled chaos, but that's not what drew Duncan's undivided attention as he followed along behind Angel. It was the demons. The room was staffed entirely by demons of varying sizes, shapes, and colors that all stopped whatever they were doing to dip their heads or bow as the group walked slowly past.

Spike stopped in front of a small table that was positioned in front of a non-descript steel door. Standing behind the table was a tiny, bright orange demon that was seemingly unfazed by all the commotion. His entire focus was on the small blue plate in front of him as he took dainty bites of some unrecognizable purple substance. Spike leaned down into his line of vision and rapped his knuckles on the table top. "Sorry to interrupt your dinner there, mate, but we need to get through that door."

The demon startled and looked up, rapidly blinking his four eyes. He quickly pushed the table to his left, spilling the purple substance across the top as he stammered, "Master William! You've arrived at last!" He quickly kissed the tips of two fingers and pressed them to his forehead.

Spike blinked. "Uh… yeah. Here I am." He quickly looked the demon over then raised his eyebrow. "Have we met?"

The demon laughed. "Oh no, but I knew you would come. I saw it and I've been waiting for you. For all of you. My name is Wendell." He nodded to each person in turn, kissing his fingers then pressing them to his forehead as he called them all by name. "Mistress Dawn, Master Angelus, Mistress Willow, Master Duncan, Master Xander." Ignoring – or possibly not understanding – their stunned looks, he reached into the ratty canvas bag slung over his shoulder and pulled out a wad of black cloth, holding it out to Spike. "Here you go, Master William."

"It's Spike, mate. And feel free to drop the Master." Spike took the cloth and shook it out, tilting his head when it turned out to be a black t-shirt. "Care to explain?"

Wendell motioned toward the blue t-shirt that Spike had grudgingly donned after grumbling about not having enough time to go shopping. "It does bring out your eyes, but it wouldn't be right for you to wear it. You need to be yourself." He winked at Dawn. "And it **would** be too distracting to have you take it off altogether."

"Right. Because whatever's down there is going to care about my wardrobe." Spike started to unfasten the sword he had strapped to his back then blinked in confusion when the black t-shirt suddenly disappeared from his hand. He looked down at his chest and gasped at the black cloth covering it then looked at Wendell. "What did you do?"

He shrugged and said, "Fixed it," then reached into his bag again, digging something else out. "This is yours, too." He held out a small dagger.

Spike took it and looked it over. It was too small to be effective as a weapon, especially considering the weapons he already had strapped to his person. "And what am I supposed to do with this?"

Wendell reached up and grasped the door knob, pulling the door open with a flourish. "It's for the bloodletting, but you won't need to throw it because it's not really a weapon. Good luck." And he was gone, disappearing in a puff of orange smoke.

"Okaaay… that was weird… even for us." Dawn pushed against Spike's back. "Let's get moving before any more weird little demons show up and zap you into feathers and sequins or something." Spike looked over his shoulder at her with a raised eyebrow and she smirked. "Well, we are in Vegas."

XX

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XX

"Huh. It looks just like the one in Sunnydale." Dawn leaned down and peered at the giant metal seal set into the dirt floor of the casino's sub-basement. "Just bigger. A lot bigger."

"And glowing. Sunnydale's Hellmouth seal didn't glow like that." Willow waved at the churning red light shot through with sickly black streaks that was pulsing about a foot above the seal.

Xander reached out and poked a fingertip into the light, jerking his hand back with a yelp. "Okay, the light hurts, in case anyone was wondering. So how do we open it?"

Willow looked at Spike. "I'm guessing the same way Buffy did in Sunnydale. With blood." She pointed to the tiny dagger clutched in his hand. "Use that to slice open your palm and hold your hand over the seal then pass it to Dawn. We'll all bleed on it and hopefully that should open it."

Xander shuddered, "And what happens if thousands of Turok-Han are down there like in Sunnydale? We don't have a shiny amulet to fry them all with this time." He looked hopefully up at Angel. "Do we?"

Angel shook his head. "No. That was a onetime thing."

Spike interjected, "Turok-Han? What the hell's a Turok-Han?"

Dawn smiled at him. "The minions of the Big Bad I told you about. Buffy used the amulet to roast and toast them."

Willow snorted. "You told him they were minions?"

Spike looked sharply at her. "They weren't?"

She nodded, "Well, technically, I guess. But they weren't weak little fledgling vampires like you're probably thinking. Giles said they were like Neanderthal vampires. The vampires that vampires fear."

Angel gripped Willow's elbow, stopping her explanation before she could move into babbling mode. "They were primal vampires, Spike, stronger and faster and harder to kill than we are, but they're all gone now. Buffy wiped them out."

Spike nodded and slashed his palm, letting his blood drip through the pulsing light to splash on the seal. "Right. So we know there's at least one thing we won't be seein' down there." He held up the dagger, starting to hand it to Dawn, then paused. "What did that little bloke mean by not throwin' it 'cause it's not really a weapon?" He got five shrugs in response then shrugged himself and finished handing the dagger to Dawn. "Guess we'll find out. Let's get this thing open."

XX

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XX

The vampires were wearing their demon faces as they led their humans down the nearly pitch black tunnel, not wanting to alert any nearby demons to their position with bobbing flashlights or magical light sources. The temperature had been steadily dropping for the past three hours as they'd moved deeper and deeper into the earth under Las Vegas and Xander had started shivering a few miles back.

Xander asked through chattering teeth, "How much longer? And shouldn't it be warmer down here? We've been walking forever. Shouldn't the center of the earth be just around the next corner?"

Spike shushed Xander then quietly whispered, "Sense somethin' not too far ahead. Think we're just about there… wherever there is."

They stopped when the tunnel suddenly widened into a large room and Spike motioned that Willow and Xander should hang back. The three vampires and Dawn split into pairs then crept silently around the edges of the chamber, scanning the multitude of crevices and crags for signs of life. They met up at the back and stopped at the edge of a drop-off, the floor just suddenly disappearing into a darkness that seemed blacker than black. Dawn fished a small flashlight out of her pocket and turned it on, the weak light not doing much to penetrate the oppressive darkness. She glanced at Spike and, at his nod, tossed the flashlight into the emptiness.

They watched as it spiraled end over end, seemingly falling for ages until it crashed against something and winked out. An inhuman roaring suddenly echoed throughout the chamber and the vampires dropped to their knees, clutching their ears. The cavern started to quake, knocking down Willow and Xander as the others scuttled back from the edge. A faint glow started emanating from the pit as the vampires regained their feet, backing up even as they kept their hands over their ears. The light was getting brighter by the second and the roaring was getting louder.

Showtime.


	105. Chapter 105 I Know

Not Long to Wait

Ch 105 – I Know

Willow struggled to her feet, using the wall behind her for support, and shouted as loud as she could to be heard over the cacophony. "Something's coming!"

Spike shot her a _'thanks for stating the bloody obvious'_ look as he continued to back away, pulling the sword out of the sheath strapped to his back. He pointed the tip at the right side of the pit, indicating that he'd take position there, then he pointed it at the left side as he used his other hand to point to Angel.

Angel nodded and moved into position, drawing his own sword and a short dagger from a sheath on his thigh. Dawn stayed in the center with Duncan standing just behind her and to the left. She drew a pistol with her left hand and a lethally sharp katana with her right. Bullets might not kill most demons, but they sure hurt like hell and might provide a needed distraction.

Dawn glanced over her shoulder, throwing Duncan a reassuring smile as he drew the two-handed Claymore he'd found at the bottom of her weapons chest. Even with Slayer strength, that sword was still too bulky and large for her small frame, so she'd gifted it to Duncan, explaining that a Scottish weapon should be wielded by a Scotsman. Then she'd done an impression in a horrible Scottish accent, saying, "You're Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. There can be only one," in between giggles. Needless to say, Duncan had been confused until Xander had explained the reference.

Willow motioned to Xander to draw his daggers then pointed to a large boulder, her other hand dipping into the bag at her waist. Her fingers closed over an enchanted crystal and she started the incantation that would make it explode when she said the right word. As they took position behind the boulder, Willow gently laid the first armed crystal in a small depression on the top then started arming the next one.

Everyone stood tensed and ready as the light continued to brighten until the entirety of the chamber was lit up like high noon on a summer day in Texas. Xander wasn't cold anymore, the light bringing with it a heat that caused sweat to trickle down his back and into his eyes. He rubbed his face against his shoulders as he tightened his grip on the daggers clutched in his fists.

When he saw the thing that rose out of the pit – its sheer size making the three vampires and the Slayer seem like ants in comparison – Xander suddenly wished he was blind. The thing was hideous. Huge and smelly and hideous. Part of it, a part Xander was unable to identify, was dripping slime that smoked when it splattered on the stone, while another unidentifiable part seemed to be on fire. It had no discernable head or arms or… anything, really. It was just a mass of… parts. Each part had its own distinct shape, color, and texture, and they looked like they had all been lumped together like leftover bits of different colored Play-Doh.

The roaring was coming from a gaping maw in a large, fur-covered part near the center of the creature, and that's where Willow lobbed the first crystal, guiding it cleanly into the opening with a little magical boost. She mouthed, "Swish!" at Xander then shouted, "Praemium!"

The creature shuddered violently and the roaring cut off, the sudden silence broken only by the sounds of it scrabbling to heave its bulk over the lip of the drop-off. Those not so small noises managed to convince everyone that they hadn't, in fact, gone completely deaf, and with a smile of glee, Spike voiced his own roar and leapt forward, slicing his blade deeply into the side of the creature.

He yelled an indignant, "Hey!" as the sword was pulled from his grasp and sucked into the creature with a loud slurp. He danced back from a tendril that had unfurled and was snaking toward him even as he shouted, "That's bad form, that is! Stealin' a bloke's weapon!"

Dawn shouted, "Spike!" and tossed her katana at him. He caught it as it neared his head and whipped it around, cleanly slicing the tendril in two. He was just about to leap forward and attack the creature again when Angel roared. Several tendrils had wrapped around his legs and he was dangling upside down about fifteen feet above the chamber floor. Tendrils were also wrapped around his sword and dagger and were struggling to pull them from his grasp. They succeeded and the weapons disappeared into the creature with another loud slurp as the tendrils around Angel's legs started retracting, reeling the struggling vampire in.

Spike yelled, "Duncan, catch the poof!" as he sprinted across the chamber and leapt into the air, slicing through a few of the tendrils holding Angel. Duncan sheathed his sword as he darted forward, sliding to a stop under the upside down vampire just as the last tendril was cut. Angel's face transformed into a panicked expression as he started to fall, but Duncan managed to catch him before he crashed head first onto the hard stone. He righted Angel and they both backed away from the creature that Spike was still hacking away at, cutting through the waving tendrils that were trying to ensnare him.

One slipped around the blade of the katana and whipped it out of Spike's hand, sucking it into the creature with that really getting familiar slurping noise. Xander shouted, "It's eating everything! Dawn, shoot it or something!"

Dawn pulled her other pistol and leveled the barrels at the creature, aiming for the spot where the biggest group of tendrils was joined to it. She let loose with a volley of bullets, each one slamming into the creature then being absorbed, doing nothing more damaging than causing ripples to fan out from each entry point like each bullet was a small rock dropped into a pond.

Dawn emptied the magazines, giving Spike enough time to scurry away from the tendrils still seeking him out, then she dropped the pistols back into their holsters with an aggravated, "What now? None of our weapons are even pissing it off, much less doing any real damage."

Willow stepped out from behind the boulder, several armed crystals in her left hand. She switched one to her right hand and said, "Let me try," then lobbed it at the creature, using magic to guide it. It glided smoothly through the opening again and she shouted, "Praemium!"

Another violent shudder rocked the creature, but it didn't last nearly as long as the first one had. Willow muttered, "Crap. It's adapting," before she transferred the rest of the crystals to her right hand, hurriedly sending them across the chamber. All but one landed in the creature's maw, the off-course crystal bouncing down its front to land on the floor just past the edge of the drop-off. She shouted, "Duck!" then scrambled behind the boulder. Everyone else sought cover, just managing to find a large boulder to hide behind or a crack in the wall to stuff themselves into as Willow shouted, "Praemium!"

The crystal not inside the creature exploded mightily, blasting a twenty foot wide crater in the floor and sending shards of rock careening throughout the chamber. The creature absorbed all the shards that impacted it even as it slid backwards into the pit just slightly from the explosions on its inside.

It was working its way back over the lip as Spike stepped out of the crack he'd crammed himself into, pulling a shard of rock out of his arm. "I'm thinkin' it's time for this grand weapon, Red. Thing absorbs anythin' we throw at it. So what do I have to do?"

Willow stepped out from behind the boulder again, dusting herself off. "I don't know, Spike, but you should. When it's time, you should know."

"Well, I don't! And that thing's gonna suck up everythin' on this God-forsaken little planet if we don't stop it!"

Duncan suddenly unsheathed his sword and ran toward the creature, roaring loudly. He buried it to the hilt in a green scaly part then jumped back, completely unsurprised when his sword was absorbed. He dashed back to the cluster of dust-covered fighters standing in front of the huge boulder. "I think we have to be completely out of weapons. Willow said it was like a last ditch defensive thing, right? If any of us still have weapons then we…"

Xander stepped forward, flipping his daggers around to hold the blades in his hands. "Still have ditches. Gotcha." He hurled the daggers at the creature then slipped a knife and a stake out of his waistband and threw them as well. The creature absorbed the four items then continued to heave its massive bulk over the lip of the drop-off. Xander turned to the group. "I'm out. Next?"

Dawn looked sadly at her pistols as she unbuckled the belt. "Shit. I really like these guns." She unsnapped the thigh straps then hurled the entire contraption at the creature. "Hope you choke on them!" She whipped her two stakes and her dagger at the creature then slumped back against the boulder. "This weapon better be freaking spectacular or I'm gonna be pissed. That was one of my favorite daggers!"

Angel pulled a dagger from his belt and smiled at Spike as he stepped up next to him, hefting two of his own daggers. "On three?"

Spike nodded, "One, Two, Three!" Both vampires let fly, the daggers embedding themselves into a leathery looking part with a loud thunk before being slurped up. Spike turned around. "That it then? We all out?" Everyone checked pockets and sheaths and waistbands and came up empty then they all looked expectantly at Spike. He shrugged. "I don't bloody know. Don't feel any different… don't know anythin' I didn't already know. So now what?"

He suddenly started patting his pockets again; pulling out the small dagger the orange demon had given him. "Wendell said I wouldn't have to throw this 'cause it's not really a weapon, but…" He spun and whipped the dagger at the creature. It buried itself into a gray part with the texture of elephant skin then was pushed out, tumbling down the front of the creature to land on the floor with a muted thump. "Huh. Guess he was right."

Xander motioned toward the dagger. "It's absorbed everything else, why not that?"

Willow ducked behind the boulder again, searching for the bag she'd left back there as her voice drifted over the top. "It's probably enchanted or something."

Dawn smirked. "Or maybe it just tastes bad. Who knows? Not like we can get to it anyway…" She flicked her eyes toward the dagger as part of the creature flopped over it, covering it completely. "And even if we could, it's too small to do any real damage. It would take us ten years to kill that thing with that itty bitty dagger."

The creature had finally cleared the edge and was slowly making its way toward them, its body undulating like a caterpillar, when Spike suddenly stiffened. His hands flew to his head and he screamed before crumpling to the floor. Dawn dropped down beside him and he reached out, grasping her hand tightly, his face screwed up in pain. "I know." His eyes opened, already glowing amber, and he smiled slightly. "Brace yourself, pet. This is gonna be spectacular."


	106. Chapter 106 Eviscerated

Not Long to Wait

Ch 106 – Eviscerated

"A little warning would be nice next time, Bleach Boy." Xander stuck his finger in his ear, trying to work out more of the demon goo, then he swatted irritably at the small ball of light that was flitting around his head.

Spike stopped swiping at the slime dripping down his duster long enough to smirk at Xander. "Bite me, whelp. Not like I have any control over the soddin' thing, do I? I'm just the buggerin' battery, remember? And the blast came from you anyway, so next time, warn yourself."

Willow giggled as she followed behind the demon guts covered group that was making its way slowly back up the tunnels. Her position behind the boulder had spared her the worst of it, with only a few chunks of exploded demon managing to find their way into her hair. "Actually, the blast or whatever came from all of us; it just looked like it came from Xander because he was the one standing closest to the demon thing."

Dawn nudged Spike. "That weapon was pretty spectacular, but I hope it doesn't hurt you like that every time we use it."

"It won't, luv. The pain wasn't caused by usin' the weapon; it was caused by the sudden influx of knowledge about it. Gaia inserted every known species of demon and what the weapon will do to 'em into my brain all at once."

Duncan muttered with a smirk, "Tight fit, huh? Did it push out all that weird music you like?"

Spike's two finger salute was chuckled at as Dawn continued, "Can you imagine the mess it would have made if that thing had been outside when we blew it up?"

Spike nodded. "Probably would've buried Vegas a meter deep in demon goo." He smirked at Xander. "That's 'bout three feet for the Colonials in the room."

"Bite me, Evil Dead. I know what a meter is."

Spike chuckled. "Good thing most of it blew back into the pit or we'd probably be tryin' to swim to the surface 'stead of takin' a nice, leisurely stroll."

Xander vainly swiped his gore covered hand against the tunnel wall then spun and held it out to Willow. "Can't you do that clean-up spell and get rid of this?" He swatted again at the light that was hovering just above his head. "And get this thing to leave me alone!"

Willow shook her head as she twitched her fingers toward the light ball, guiding it to hover closer to the ceiling. "I could maybe get rid of some of it, but there's a lot of different substances on you guys that I don't know all the words for. That thing seemed to be made up of a bunch of different demon parts, some I've never even seen before."

Spike said, "Probably been absorbing whatever unlucky sods managed to find their way down here. Saw a pair of Fyarl horns and a Polgara arm spike."

Willow nodded. "Who knows how long it's been down there? It could have been almost as old as the earth itself, just absorbing whatever fell or was thrown into its lair until it was time for the prophecy."

Dawn shook a glob of some kind of phosphorescent green slime off one of her pistols, flinging it against the wall of the tunnel with a splat. "At least we got our weapons back." She holstered the pistol and pulled the other one, using her pinky to swab a furry bit of demon out of the barrel. "And it's not the first time we've been covered in demon yuck, Xan. You should be used to it by now."

Xander sighed, "I am used to it. Doesn't mean I like it." He waved at the darkness of the tunnel that was outside their little circle of light. "And we've got hours before we can get anywhere to wash this stuff off." He looked hopefully over at Willow. "Hey! Can't you transport us back to that room?"

Willow bit her lip as she looked around at the group, their hopeful faces making her just a little nervous. "Well… I might be able to, but I've never transported through solid rock before… through open space is easy, but rock? And some of the stuff you guys are covered with is giving off a magical signature… I don't know how that would react with my magic, and I…"

"But what about those crystals? They were magica…" Xander wrapped a gooey arm over her shoulders. "You know what? Never mind, we'll walk. Don't really want to end up on the moon or in Idaho or anything."

A faint noise coming from the darkness in front of them brought the group to a halt. Angel stepped to the edge of the light and peered into the gloom with his demon eyes then sniffed deeply and stepped back, whispering, "There's a demon headed this way. It might be friendly, but…"

Spike unsheathed his sword and stepped into the middle of the tunnel, giving himself plenty of space to swing as he took point. "But knowing our luck, most likely not."

Willow extinguished the light and everyone pulled weapons as they spaced themselves throughout the tunnel. They stood in silence, listening intently for the sounds of the approaching demon. The echoes off the stone walls made it impossible to judge the distance, but after several long minutes, a faint glow could be seen moving quickly along the tunnel in their direction.

Spike tensed as the light closed on his position and twirled his sword menacingly then he stopped and slipped it back into its sheath as the creature behind the bobbing flashlight came into view. It was Wendell. The tiny demon smiled hugely then kissed his fingers and touched them to his forehead. "Master Spike! You have done it! Saved us all! Thank you!"

Spike smiled and waved at the group stepping up behind him. "We all did it, and you're welcome. And I thought I told you to drop the Master bit. Just call me Spike."

Wendell kissed his fingers and touched them to his forehead again. "I'm sorry, Master Spike, but I can't. The title is required."

"And just who or what requires it? 'Cause it's not me."

"The laws and traditions of my people." His eyes cut warily from side to side as he leaned close and whispered, "And my mother would be… unhappy… with me if I were to disrespect you in any way. You really don't want to see her unhappy, Master Spike. Really."

Spike looked around the dark tunnel then whispered back, "Your Mum isn't here, mate."

"No, but she knows things, Master Spike. She just knows." He cut his eyes around the tunnel again then kissed his fingers and pressed them to his forehead, adding a small bow for good measure.

Spike sighed, "All right, Wendell, carry on. Don't want to get you in trouble with your Mum." He leaned back against the wall of the tunnel and started digging in his pockets, looking for his cigarettes. "So, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit? Got somethin' else down here needs killin'?"

Wendell shook his head. "No. Our forces took care of the followers and acolytes. Once the creature was dead, the acolytes lost all their power and we were able to easily defeat them."

Willow nodded. "That must be how it kept getting new demons to absorb. As huge as that thing was…" she motioned back down the long tunnel stretching away into the darkness, "I seriously doubt **that** many demons managed to get lost enough to end up down here."

"You are correct, Mistress Willow." He kissed his fingers and pressed them to his forehead. "We'd been monitoring their progress toward raising their master for some time, but we weren't strong enough to do more than prevent a few sacrifices. Our efforts delayed the raising for a few months and gave you enough time to complete the tasks necessary to the prophecy before the creature had the chance to escape to the surface."

Dawn leaned on the wall next to Spike, snagging his smoke and taking a drag before handing it back. "And that would have been bad. God, if that thing had made it out, it would have started sucking up people left and right. I wonder how many people you guys saved by keeping it down here?"

Xander smiled at the tiny demon. "So we're not the only heroes, Wendell. You guys should pat yourselves on the back. You helped save the world today."

Wendell's bright orange color darkened somewhat across his face as he did the kissing and pressing thing again. "Thank you, Master Xander. You are very kind."

"Kind's got nothin' to do with it, mate. He's speakin' the truth." Spike took a drag, blowing the smoke out through his nose. "So what brings you down here then? We could've done the rehashin' and back pattin' when we returned."

Wendell smiled. "I came to get you for the celebration."

"Celebra…" Spike staggered slightly as the wall at his back disappeared and he reached out to grasp Dawn's hand as a wall of sound and light washed over him. He blinked in astonishment as a roomful of demons suddenly popped into existence all around them. "What the hell?"

Willow reeled, clutching at Angel's arm. "Woah." She looked around then smiled at Wendell. "You have so got to show me how you do that! I would love to have that kind of control!"

"Of course, Mistress Willow."

Xander stepped away from Willow, holding out his nice, clean hand. "And he got rid of all the yuck. You should definitely get him to show you how."

Spike raised his hand to his mouth then frowned at the lack of cigarette pinched between his fingers. "Oi! Where's my fag?"

Wendell chuckled quietly, "I do apologize, Master Spike, but there's no smoking in the ball room." He shrugged. "Humans and their silly rules."

Xander laughed. "Ok, you definitely have to show Wils how you did **that**. Stealing Captain Peroxide's smokes? Hell, I'd like to learn that trick."

"I'm sorry, Master Xander…" Kissing and pressing. "But I cannot instruct someone with no magical ability." He turned toward Willow. "I will, however, train you at your earliest convenience, Mistress Willow." He kissed and pressed as he nodded at Dawn, "Of course, Mistress Dawn. Please excuse me for a moment." He disappeared in his customary puff of orange smoke, reappearing almost immediately with a stunned Trevor standing by his side.

Trevor stumbled then smiled gratefully at Angel as his arm was grasped firmly, steadying him. "Thanks. Uh… what just happened? Where are we?"

Wendell kissed his fingers and touched his forehead. "Master Trevor, I apologize for the abruptness. We're in Las Vegas at the Luxor." He motioned to Dawn. "Mistress Dawn wished for your presence at the celebration, so I retrieved you."

Dawn's mouth fell open. "You knew that? How? I just barely thought it and bam, you poofed him here!"

Wendell shrugged. "It is our way." He dipped into his ratty bag again and handed Willow a slip of paper. "Call that number when you're ready to train, Mistress Willow. Thank you all again. We owe you our lives. Please enjoy the party." And he disappeared.

They stood, looking around the room at all the demons that were looking back at them. The room had gone quiet shortly after they'd popped into it and it seemed as if the demons were waiting for something. A table off to their right, groaning under the weight of all the food piled on it, secured Xander's attention and he grabbed Duncan's hand then dragged him toward it with a heartily bellowed, "Let's party!"

That seemed to be what the demons had been waiting for and the room erupted into laughter and applause. Somebody turned the music back on and the demons started milling around, eating, dancing, and talking. Dawn and Willow both smiled at Xander as he filled a plate, chatting easily with the huge demon bristling with short pink spines that was attending the table. Xander wrapped an arm around Duncan's waist and leaned up for a kiss then pointed out some of the tastier human foods… most of them containing some type of chocolate. Willow nudged Dawn and chuckled, "That ritual gave Xan a huge shot of chill. Look at him! All lovey dovey with his honey in a room full of demons."

Spike chuckled, "Most of which probably would've been tryin' to eat him by now if they'd run across him in Sunnydale."

Dawn laughed as she reached for Spike, pulling him close to her side. "Are you sure that's not Pod Xander?"

Willow smirked as she started tugging Angel toward the table. "I'll do a spell later to make sure, but I think this is the new and improved Xan. Mr. Cool as a Cucumber will take a little getting used to, but not wigging about every little thing will probably save him a fortune on Pepto Bismol."

Spike wrapped his arms around Dawn, pulling her back against his chest as he nuzzled her neck. She leaned her head back on his shoulder with a contented sigh. "Today was a good day, wasn't it? You get to go out in the sun now and we saved the world… again."

Spike nodded then nipped at her earlobe. "All seems a bit… anticlimactic, though, doesn't it? I mean, the fight took less time than gettin' down there did, and nobody got hurt, aside from that bit of rock in my arm. I've worked harder dustin' fledges fresh out of the ground."

Dawn shrugged. "Maybe it is a little, but I'll take it. After all we've been through; I think we deserve some anticlimactic apocalypse aversion. Maybe the Powers are finally cutting us a break."

Spike chuckled, "Seriously doubt that, luv, but you're right. Anticlimactic or not, it's a win, and I'll take it."

Trevor was standing there, wide-eyed and gaping at the multi-colored horde of demons surrounding him. Several of them had shaken his hand, thanking him for his part in the defeat of the creature, and he'd nodded blankly then continued to stare. Spike laughed then reached out and snagged his arm as he nudged Dawn toward the table. "C'mon, Trev, let's eat."

Trevor blinked. "What?"

Spike pointed at the table. "Food. Eat."

"Oh. Um… I'm not hungry. What kind of demon is that?" He pointed at a Fyarl that was mowing through a plate of something that looked like octopus parts.

"Fyarl demon. Big. Fairly stupid. They work well as hired muscle, but watch out for the snot."

Trevor laughed. "Thanks for the tip. So what did the demon look like? The one you defeated? Did it have any magical ability? Did it use weapons?"

Spike chuckled. "Better be careful there, Trev. The Council of Wankers just might recruit you if you keep askin' questions like that."

Trevor smiled. "They already did. My uncle called about an hour after you left and asked me to work for them because I already know Dawn. If… you know… the world didn't end."

Dawn frowned. "No offense, Trevor, but I don't need or want a Watcher. I'm not going to work for the Council. I'll help out if the new Slayer needs it, but we work for Gaia now."

"I know, and that's what I told my uncle, that you wouldn't want a Watcher. So… I'm not technically a Watcher – especially since I don't have any training – I'm just your liaison to the Council. I'll pass on anything they find out and take notes on what you kill for the archives, but I'm not going to tell you what to do or anything. If that's ok."

Spike smirked. "Well, pet, guess you'll be moochin' off me after all, since you just quit your only payin' job. Don't imagine Gaia pays much in the way of wages, so it's a good thing I've a bit of dosh."

Dawn smiled mischievously. "Nuh uh. We're married now… as much as we can be… so there's no such thing as _your_ money and _my_ money anymore. It's **our** money, so I won't be _mooching_ if I spend it… and I feel a shopping spree coming on."

Spike groaned, "Oh balls," then smiled over at Trevor. "Hey, you need an assistant to help with your sculptures? With the way Bit here can spend money… think I'm gonna have to get a job."

XXXX

Several hours later, the six members of Gaia's superhero squad and their still slightly shell-shocked human companion finally extracted themselves from the throngs of congratulatory demons that had been accosting them with praise and showering them with gifts. Clutching armfuls of jeweled weaponry, decorative clothing, and in Spike's case, bottles of rare and expensive liquor, they made their way to the suites they'd been given for as long as they wanted to occupy them.

Spike stopped at the door to his and Dawn's room then waited for the rest of the group to locate their rooms before he cleared his throat and said, "Everyone, I have somethin' to say to you all…" They all turned to look at him, clearly expecting him to say something profound and heartfelt, then they burst into laughter when he growled, "I promised violent evisceration," he nodded to each of them in turn, "to anyone who disturbs us. See you in a week."

A few minutes later, he poked his head into the empty hallway and hung a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the doorknob as he grinned at the two identical signs hanging on two other doorknobs.

Before the sun had reached its zenith, the hotel's management had cleared the other guests off that floor to stop the complaints about the screaming, roaring, and growling coming from the three rooms at the end of the hall.

Nobody was eviscerated.

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And that's the end. I want to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. I really appreciate all your support.

I hadn't planned on an epilogue, but if there's something you want to know or some loose ends you feel need to be tied up, please let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks again and I hope you've enjoyed it!


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